Ways to avoid getting diabetes. Diabetes is a major cause of illness and mortality both in developing and developed countries. Globally, an estimated 422 million adults were living with diabetes in 2014, compared to 108 million in 1980. Since 1980, the global prevalence of diabetes has nearly doubled, rising from 4.7% to 8.5% in the adult population[1].
This reflects an increase in associated risk factors such as being overweight or obese. Diabetes is a major cause of blindness, kidney failure, heart attack, stroke and lower limb amputation. A healthy diet, physical activity and avoiding tobacco use can prevent or delay type 2 diabetes. In addition, diabetes can be treated and its consequences avoided or delayed with medication, regular screening and treatment for complications.
What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic disease, which occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin, or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces.
According to the Centre for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) in the USA, Diabetes Mellitus (or diabetes in short) is described as a condition in which the body does not properly process food for use as energy. Most of the food we eat is turned into glucose, or sugar, for our bodies to use for energy. The pancreas, an organ that lies near the stomach, makes a hormone called insulin to help glucose get into the cells of our bodies.
When you have diabetes, your body either doesn’t make enough insulin or can’t use its own insulin as well as it should. This causes sugars to build up in your blood (hyperglycaemia). This is why many people refer to diabetes as “sugar.”
[1] United Nations on World Diabetes Day
Types of Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes (previously known as insulin-dependent or childhood-onset diabetes) is characterized by a lack of insulin production. It can develop at any age, but occurs most frequently in children and adolescents. When you have type 1 diabetes, your body produces very little or no insulin, which means that you need daily insulin injections to maintain blood glucose levels under control.
Type 2 diabetes (formerly called non-insulin-dependent or adult-onset diabetes) is caused by the body’s ineffective use of insulin and is more common in adults and accounts for around 90% of all diabetes cases[1]. When you have type 2 diabetes, your body does not make good use of the insulin that it produces.
The basis of type 2 diabetes treatment is healthy lifestyle, including increased physical activity and healthy diet. However, over time most people with type 2 diabetes will require oral drugs and/or insulin to keep their blood glucose levels under control.
Gestational Diabetes (GDM) is a type of diabetes that consists of high blood glucose during pregnancy and is associated with complications to both mother and child. GDM usually disappears after pregnancy but women affected and their children are at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life.
[2] International Diabetes Federation
Diabetes in Africa Facts & Figures (According to IDF Diabetes)
- 19 million adults (20-79) are living with diabetes in the IDF Africa Region in 2019. This figure is estimated to increase to 47 million by 2045.
- 45 million adults (20-79) in the IDF Africa Region have Impaired Glucose Tolerance (IGT) which places them at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes. This figures is estimated to reach 110 million by 2045.
- The IDF Africa Region has the highest percentage of undiagnosed people of all IDF regions – 60% of adults living with diabetes do not know they have it.
- 1 in 9 live births in the IDF Africa Region are affected by hyperglycaemia in pregnancy.
- USD 9.5 billion was spent on healthcare for people with diabetes in 2019—less than 1% of the total global expenditure on diabetes.
Prevalence of Diabetes
Globally, every five seconds one person develops diabetes, every 10 seconds one person dies of diabetes and every 30 seconds a limb is lost to diabetes[1]. Over the past decade, diabetes prevalence has risen faster in low and middle-income countries than in high-income countries.
Watch also: How to prevent diabetes
According to the Sub Saharan Journal of Medicine, in sub-Saharan Africa, Nigeria has the highest number of people with diabetes with an estimated 3.9 million people (or an extrapolated prevalence of 4.99%) of the adult population aged 20-79-year-old[2].
The incidence is rising rapidly with sub-Saharan Africa experiencing the largest percentage increase between 2013 and 2035. Nigeria has the largest number of people with the disease, yet information on diabetes mellitus for policy and programming is fragmented.
[3] United Nations, World Diabetes Day
[4] A review of population-based studies on diabetes mellitus in Nigeria by Tukur Dahiru
WHO country Nigeria, Diabetes Profile – (2016)
In Nigeria, 2% of all death are due to diabetes. This may seem a small percentage but in a country of 196 million people, this accounts for almost 4 million people!
Can Diabetes be prevented?
When we talk about preventing diabetes, we are usually talking about preventing type 2 diabetes. Safe and effective ways to prevent type 1 diabetes have not yet been identified, despite the amount of research in this area.
Type 2 diabetes, however, can be prevented or delayed for many people, in many ways.
Reduce your risk
Decreasing your risk of developing type 2 diabetes involves making lifestyles changes. Eating healthy, moving more, and losing weight if you are overweight are the most effective things you can do to reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Healthy Eating Habits
Start by looking at your food choices. Diet is the most important part of lifestyle change. Small changes can make a big difference and help you take those first few steps to reduce your risk.
A good first step is to cut out highly processed foods, refined grains such as white bread, sugary food and sugary drinks. Plan your meals around vegetables, more plant-based proteins, whole grains, dairy, lean meats, oily fish, nuts and healthy oils such as olive oil.
Stay Active
Moving more will help you prevent diabetes. Just a little extra activity each day can go a long way. Start with limiting the amount of time spent sitting. Interrupt your sitting time by standing up and moving around briefly every 20 to 30 minutes.
Lose weight
If you have pre-diabetes, an eating and exercise plan that helps you lose just 5% of your initial body weight can delay or prevent type 2 diabetes from developing. It can be hard to stay motivated, but reducing your risk of developing diabetes will help you live a longer, healthier life.
Increasing Awareness about the disease
Diabetes can not be eradicated but it can be limited and delayed if we spread awareness and knowledge. Even in today’s time and age, a lot of people die from diabetes or become disabled.
Watch Also: Steps on how to prevent diabetes
At Helpers Social Development Foundation, our goal is to educate as many Nigerians as we can about diabetes and the dangers associated with it. Moreover, we want to spread awareness and encourage healthy lifestyles. Changes as small as eating better food and exercising more can go a long way in controlling the rise of diabetes in Nigeria.
Together we can fight this chronic disease. Donate today to HSDF and help fight the battle against Diabetes Mellitus.
IS MY DONATION TAX-DEDUCTIBLE AND HOW CAN I GET A TAX RECEIPT AFTER DONATING?
Yes, your donation to helpers Social Development Foundation is tax-deductible. Your donation receipt will be sent to your email within 24 hours after confirming your donation.
How you donate to Helpers Social Development Foundation
Helpers Foundation accepts cryptocurrency donations, cash deposits into our bank account, online donations using donations links we listed on our website. Follow the instructions below to donate to Helpers Foundation:
Bank Name: Guaranty Trust Bank PLC.
Account Name: Helpers Social Development Foundation.
Naira Account No: 0491180181
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