A look at diabetes statistics

Why is diabetes dangerous?

The disease begins when the body cannot properly process the sugar (glucose) in the blood.

Our body breaks down the carbohydrates we eat into sugar – glucose. Insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas, tells the cells to turn this sugar into energy. When insulin is not produced in sufficient amounts or does not do its job, the amount of sugar in the blood rises.

Diabetes can lead to heart attack, stroke, blindness, kidney failure and even amputation of the legs.

Which organs are damaged?

Diabetes is not just high blood sugar – left uncontrolled, it can cause irreversible damage to many organs:

• kidneys (diabetic nephropathy) – over time this can lead to kidney failure;
• eyes (diabetic retinopathy) – poor vision and even a risk of blindness;
• nervous system (diabetic neuropathy) – numbness, burning and pain in the hands and feet;
• heart and blood vessels – the risk of stroke and heart attack increases;
• feet – trophic ulcers, infections and the threat of amputation.

What do the numbers say?

Diabetes is a problem of growing scale. According to the World Health Organization’s 2016 global report, 422 million people worldwide live with diabetes – a fourfold increase in the number of patients over the last 40 years. In 2016, diabetes was the direct cause of about 1.6 million deaths.

The International Diabetes Federation estimates that about 80 percent of adults with diabetes live in low- and middle-income countries.

In developed countries, diabetes is more common among lower-income groups used to cheap, processed food.

The biggest risk is not knowing

Despite all these risks, about half of the people with diabetes are unaware that they have it.

Diabetes, especially type 2, often progresses for years without symptoms, and some people learn the diagnosis only when they already face late complications. Some patients who are diagnosed have no obvious serious complaints, and older people often put the signs down to normal ageing. Yet at an early stage simple blood tests can detect the disease and help prevent complications.

Which signs should you watch for?

In the early stages of diabetes there are sometimes no signs at all. But if you notice the following in yourself or your loved ones, have your blood sugar checked without delay and see an endocrinologist:

• increased thirst and a dry mouth;
• frequent urination;
• hunger that persists even after eating;
• unexplained weight loss despite normal eating;
• persistent tiredness, weakness and poor concentration;
• blurred vision;
• slow-healing wounds and frequent infections;
• numbness in the hands and feet, leg cramps at night.

Who should be checked regularly?

Genetics, obesity, poor nutrition, cardiovascular disease, chronic stress, the effect of certain medicines and adrenal gland disorders play a major role in the development of diabetes. People in the following risk groups should have their blood sugar checked regularly:

• everyone over 40 – a preventive check once a year;
• people who are overweight (body mass index of 25 or more);
• people with little physical activity and a sedentary lifestyle;
• people who do not pay attention to their diet and eat little fibre;
• people with diabetes in close relatives;
• people with high blood pressure or cholesterol problems;
• women with polycystic ovary syndrome, a history of gestational diabetes or who have given birth to a baby weighing 4 kg or more;
• people with heart, brain or peripheral vascular disease.