- Previously known as insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) or juvenile-onset diabetes).
- The majority of people with Type 1 diabetes are young - children, teenagers and young adults. (but it can also affect older people).
- In Type 1 diabetes, the pancreas produces little or no insulin at all because the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas have been destroyed.
- Onset of symptoms is sudden, the most common being increased thirst and constant hunger, frequent urination, excessive weight loss and constant tiredness.
- Management is by taking insulin injections, following a healthy diet, exercise and regular monitoring of blood glucose.
Type 2 Diabetes
- Previously referred to as non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) or adult-onset diabetes, and accounts for about 90% of people with diabetes, usually over the age of 40. The pancreas produces enough insulin but the insulin cannot help the glucose enter into the cells because the cells are resistant to insulin action.
- Tendency to develop Type 2 diabetes increases if you: o have close relatives with the disease o are overweight (the cells of fat people make it more difficult for insulin to function properly - called insulin resistance). o lack of physical activity o diagnosed to have high blood pressure (hypertension) o high blood cholesterol (hyperlipidaemia) have frequent miscarriages or history of delivering big babies
How does my weight relate to type 2 Diabetes?
Carrying extra body weight and body fat go hand and hand with the development of type 2 diabetes. People who are overweight are at much greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes than normal weight individuals. Being overweight puts added pressure on the body's ability to properly control blood sugar using insulin and therefore makes it much more likely for you to develop diabetes. Almost 90% of people with type 2 diabetes are overweight.
What can you do to prevent diabetes?
The good news is type 2 diabetes is largely preventable. Research studies have found that lifestyle changes and small amounts of weight loss in the range of 5-10% can prevent or delay the development of type 2 diabetes among high-risk adults. Lifestyle interventions including diet and moderate-intensity physical activity (such as walking for 150 minutes per week) were used in these research studies to produce small amounts of weight loss. The development of diabetes was reduced 40% to 60% during these studies that lasted 3 to 6 years. Preventing weight gain, increasing activity levels and working toward small amounts of weight loss if you are overweight can have a big impact on the likelihood that you will develop diabetes in the future. Managing your weight is the best thing you can do to prevent the development of diabetes.
You can have a positive influence on your blood sugar and your overall health by choosing foods wisely, exercising regularly, reducing your stress level, and making modest lifestyle changes. Small amounts of weight loss (losing 10 pounds or more) can also have a big effect on how easily you can keep your blood sugar in the healthy range and can help prevent the complication of diabetes. Small amounts of weight reduction can decrease the amount of medication you need to keep your blood sugar in the healthy range. Overall better nutrition, physical activity, and control of blood glucose levels can delay the progression of diabetes and prevent complications.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Patrick Ober, M.D., Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, Associate Dean for Education, Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center - January 11, 2008 Question: How Strict Should My Diet Be In Controlling Type 1 Or Type 2 Diabetes?
Answer: Everyone is aware for the most part, I think, that diet and diabetes have a lot to do with each other. The tricky part is in the understanding of exactly how all of that works. For type 2 diabetes, which is the most common type of diabetes, this is a type where you often see in older people, certainly also in some younger people; but it's a type of diabetes where insulin is produced in the body, it just doesn't work very well. Diet is an extremely important part of our therapy. What we know is people overweight tend to have a situation where their insulin does not work very well at all, and so but by being on a weight-reduction diet, getting weight down to where it should be, people's own insulin can start to work very, very effectively, and that can create much improvement in the blood sugar regulation.
