Today, the incidence of diabetes has increased in proportion to the increasing prevalence of obesity. Sedentary lifestyle and unhealthy diet with high calories are also important factors for the development of diabetes.
The current data published by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) on the frequency of diabetes in 2021, it has been reported that there are 537 million adults (20-79 years old) worldwide. It is estimated that this number will increase to 643 million in 2030 and 783 million in 2045. 3 out of every 4 adults with diabetes live in low- and middle-income countries.
According to TURKSTAT data, there are approximately 7 million diabetics in Turkey between the ages of 20-79. This figure corresponds to approximately 15% of the total adult population. That means one out of 6-7 people in Turkey has diabetes.
Diabetes is an important public health problem.
2. What are the Risk Factors for Diabetes? Who Should Screen?
- Everyone over the age of 40 should be screened every 3 years.
- If people with a Bki≥25 have one of the following risk factors at a younger age, they should be screened for diabetes even if they do not have symptoms.
-
In people with diabetes in first and second degree relatives,
-
Obesity
-
Hypertension, high cholesterol (HDL<35, TG>250), cardiovascular diseases, stroke history
-
Women with a history of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
-
Insulin resistance findings (acanthosis nigricans, skin tag)
-
In those who have previously been diagnosed with occult diabetes,
-
In people with sleep-apnea syndrome,
-
Sedentary lifestyle
- More people who were previously diagnosed with prediabetes once a year
- Gestational diabetes Persons diagnosed with diabetes mellitus (gestational diabetes) Every 3 years
3. What are the Symptoms?
Classic symptoms; drinking a lot of water, urinating a lot, urination at night, dry mouth, eating a lot or loss of appetite, weakness, getting tired quickly
Less common symptoms; Blurred vision, unexplained weight loss, persistent infections, especially recurrent fungal infections in the genital area, itching
4. How Do We Diagnose?
-Fasting blood glucose (after 8 hours of fasting)≥ 126
-In the sugar challenge test (OGTT); 2. Hour blood glucose ≥200
-Hba1c (indicates 3-month average sugar) ≥6.5
-If blood glucose measured at any time is ≥200 and there are concurrent classical diabetes symptoms
**Diabetes is diagnosed if only one of the criteria is present.**
5. What are the types of diabetes?
There are 4 types of diabetes.
Type 2 DM constitutes 90-95% of diabetic patients. It is the most common type. It increased in proportion to the increasing incidence of obesity. It is usually treated with oral antidiabetics (sugar pills). Insulin therapy is used when sugar pills are not enough or in some special cases.
Type 1 DM is usually seen in childhood. Since insulin secretion in the pancreas is insufficient, only insulin is used in the treatment.
Gestational diabetes (gestational diabetes) occurs during pregnancy. 24-28th of pregnancy. Diagnosis is made with a glucose tolerance test. If sugar levels do not fall to the desired level with lifestyle changes, insulin therapy is given.
4. In this group, there are less common types of diabetes. Among them, there are many diabetes subtypes such as MODY, diabetes due to drugs, diabetes associated with genetic diseases, diabetes due to pancreatic diseases.
6. Treatment
The most important step of treatment is education. Because patients do not know enough about diabetes or they have wrong information, being diagnosed with diabetes means the end of life for patients. ibi is coming. As stated before; 3 out of 4 adults with diabetes live in low- and middle-income countries, and the prevalence of diabetes is increasing in direct proportion to the increasing prevalence of obesity. In other words, this shows that type 2 diabetes is directly related to lifestyle. Especially with proper nutrition and a sufficiently active, regular exercise lifestyle, diabetes can be prevented to a great extent. Even if diabetes develops, blood sugars can be kept at target levels.
Individuals who are obese should definitely lose weight by changing their lifestyle.
Proper nutrition is one of the most important parts of treatment.
Read: 0
