Could you be at risk of diabetes?
Type 2 diabetes, a disease closely linked to being overweight, is rising dramatically in the UK. Around 2 million people in the UK are now living with diabetes and another 750,000 are walking around with the condition undiagnosed.
There are two types of the disease but Type 2 diabetes is the most common type affecting 85-95% of people with diabetes.
It is linked with being overweight and in previous decades was usually seen only in people aged over 40, but now children as young as seven are being diagnosed with the condition. Latest figures for England reveal that over 100,000 new cases of Type 2 diabetes were diagnosed last year.
Scary as a diabetes diagnosis may seem at first, there are good common sense reasons for being tested if you suspect you are at risk. Firstly, the earlier you are diagnosed, the greater your chances of controlling your condition with diet and exercise, without the need for medication. The sooner your blood sugar is well controlled, the lower your risk of developing complications such as nerve damage, eye problems, kidney function problems and increased risk of heart attack and stroke.
What are the risk factors?
There is no single cause for developing Type 2 diabetes, but a combination of the following can put you at increased risk:
- Being Overweight: Around 80% of people who develop Type 2 diabetes are overweight. If you have a BMI (body mass index) of 25-30 you are classed as overweight and if your BMI is over 30, you are obese (obesity is defined as being 20% above your ideal body weight). You can work out your body mass index by dividing your weight in kilograms by the square of your height in metres.
- Family History: Having diabetes in your family can increase the risk of you developing diabetes. The closer the relative is, the greater the risk. If your mother or father has diabetes your chance of becoming diabetic will increase by 14% and if both parents are diabetics your risk will be increased by 75%. If a sibling has diabetes your likeliness of having diabetes will be increased by 15-25%.
- 'Apple' Shape: If you carry excess weight around your middle, you are at higher risk of developing Type 2 diabetes and heart disease. To check this, measure your waist - if you measure more than 31.5 inches (80cm) if you are a woman or 37 inches (94cm) if you are a man, according to guidelines you are carrying too weight around your middle.
- Ethnic Background: If you're of South Asian, African or Caribbean descent and living in the UK you have 5 times more chance of developing Type 2 diabetes than people of Caucasian origin. The reason for such a high prevalence is not confirmed although it is likely to be as a result of genetic, dietary and lifestyle factors.
- Other Risk Factors: These include medication, hormone disorders, polycystic ovary syndrome, gestational diabetes during pregnancy and impaired glucose tolerance.
Get Tested
If you have a number of these risk factors and have been experiencing symptoms listed below, ask to be tested by your GP or practice nurse. This will involve testing your blood sugar levels to determine if you have diabetes and if so which type.
For more information visit http://www.diabetes.org.uk/ or take part in their online risk assessment test at www.diabetes.org.uk/measure-up/
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Type 1 Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is more unusual, accounting for between 5% and 15% of all diabetes cases. It's caused by the pancreas being unable to make any insulin at all.
Symptoms usually start in childhood or before the age of 40 and include fatigue, thirst, low energy and passing large amounts of urine, dehydration and weight loss. It is treated with insulin injections.
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Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is caused by the pancreas not producing enough insulin. Symptoms include weight loss, fatigue, blurred vision, passing large amounts of urine, excessive thirst, slow healing of wounds, recurrent thrush or general itchin. Type 2 diabetes develops more gradually than Type 1 and can take several years to diagnose. It can be controlled by diet and exercise, monitoring of blood glucose levels and/or medication.
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