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Out of those 537 million people, 45% of people living with diabetes are undiagnosed.1 So, what is diabetes?
In short, diabetes is a chronic disease occurring when the pancreas fails to make insulin or the body cannot use the insulin created. As a result, glucose levels in the bloodstream become too high and the body becomes susceptible to developing serious health problems.1
The two main types of diabetes are type 1 and type 2. Other types of diabetes include gestational diabetes, type 3c diabetes and latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA).1,3,4 Type 2 is the most common form of diabetes, accounting for 90% of all diabetes cases globally, followed by type 1.1 However, only 6-10% of people with diabetes have LADA, and only 9% of all people with diabetes have type 3c.3,4
Regardless, all types of diabetes have one thing in common: elevated levels of glucose in the blood. If you don’t have diabetes, your body (pancreas) senses that glucose has entered the bloodstream, releases the right amount of insulin, and allows the glucose into the cells. If you have diabetes, this system of regulating and releasing glucose through the presence of insulin doesn’t work.1
While there’s no current way to prevent type 1 diabetes (scientists are still unsure of the cause), there is evidence to suggest type 2 diabetes can be prevented or delayed through lifestyle changes.5 The most common preventative measures are:
A physically active lifestyle will help you achieve the first goal of losing weight. Simply moving your body throughout the day may help improve your mood, reduce stress levels, reduce blood pressure and reduce your waist size. Moderate activity, where your breathing is increased, is suitable but vigorous activities (high-intensity workouts, cycling and running) may be more effective at delaying and preventing diabetes.
A healthy, balanced diet can help reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Consider a diet which may assist weight management, reduce sugar intake and make healthy food swaps.
Losing weight and maintaining weight loss has been shown to prevent or delay diabetes in some individuals. Weight gathered around your middle can result in a build-up of fat around vital organs such as your pancreas, which can severely impact insulin production (insulin resistance is widespread among people with obesity).
Other factors contributing to your overall risk of developing diabetes include ethnicity, genetics, family history and existing health conditions.
