China Studies: Presentation on Diabetics

Outline

Background – Why the name Diabetes Mellitus

Diabetes comes from Greek and it means ‘siphon’; the transfer of liquid from one container to another through a tube using atmospheric pressure to make it full.

Arutus The Cappadocian, a Greek Physician during the 2nd Century A.D named the condition Diabainein. He described patients who were passing too much water (polyuria) – like a siphon. The word became diabetes from the English adoption of the Medieval Latin Diabetes.

In 1675, Thomas Willis added mellitus to the term, although it is commonly referred to simply as diabetes. Mel in Latin means "honey"; the urine and blood of people with diabetes has excess glucose, and glucose is sweet like honey. Diabetes mellitus could literally mean "siphoning off sweet water". In ancient China people observed that ants would be attracted to some people's urine, because it was sweet. The term "Sweet Urine Disease" was coined.

Statistics on Diabetes Worldwide382 million people have diabetes in the world.

Africa More than 19million people in Africa; by 2035, this will rise to 415million.

GhanaAge Group: 20 -79years Total Adult Infection Population (in 1000s) : 13125.24No. of Deaths in Adults due to Diabetes: 8529Prevalence of Diabetes in adults (%) : 3.35%Mean Health Care Expenditure due to diabetes per person (USD): $123Total Cases of Adults with Diabetes (in 1000s) : 440No. of Cases of Diabetes in Adults that are undiagnosed (in 1000s) : 330.38

Definition

Diabetes describes a group of metabolic diseases in which the person has high blood glucose (blood sugar), either because insulin production is inadequate, or because the body's cells do not respond properly to insulin, or both.

Diabetes is a metabolic disorder resulting in abnormally high blood sugar levels (hyperglycemia). Blood sugar is normally controlled by a hormone called insulin that is secreted by the pancreas.

Myths about Diabetes

People with diabetes should not exercise. Fat people always develop Type 2 Diabetes. Children can outgrow diabetes. Only older people develop Type 2 Diabetes. You cannot eat chocolate or sweets if you have

diabetes. Diabetic patients cannot eat bread, potatoes or

pasta. Diabetes diets are different from other people.

Process of MetabolismThe diabetes disease begins with dysfunctional glucose metabolism. Normal metabolism follows the process below:

Eating food Digestion of food: the food is digested and the carbohydrate part is broken

down to simple sugars, much of which is glucose. Glucose into bracket (blood sugar) enters the blood and the insulin is

produced by the pancreas to manage its transport and distribution around the body.

Insulin then ushers glucose into different cells for a variety of purposes. Some of the glucose is converted into short term energy for immediate cell use and some is stored as long term energy (fats) for later use.

As a person develops diabetes, this metabolic process collapses.

Types of Diabetes

Type 1 Diabetes and Type 2 Diabetes

The assertion that only older people get Type 2 Diabetics is a misnomer. A growing number of children and teenagers are developing Type 2 Diabetes due to explosion in childhood obesity rates, poor diets and physical inactivity

Type 1 Diabetes :

• The body does not produce insulin.• Approximately 10% of all diabetes cases are type 1.• Immune system destroys beta cells in the pancreas, the only cells in the

body capable of making insulin. • This type is previously known as juvenile diabetes because it is most often

diagnosed in children.• Diets and exercise cannot prevent the disease.

Type 2 Diabetes:

• The body produce insulin but not enough for proper functioning.

• Approximately 90% of all cases of diabetes worldwide are of this type.

• The immune system doesn’t destroy the beta cells but renders the insulin ineffective and the blood sugar is not metabolized properly.

• It is a late onset disease; that is, it develops later in life.• Overweight and obsessed people have a much higher

risk of developing this type.• Diets and exercise can help control this disease. .

Aside Type 1 and 2, there are other types of diabetes:

Gestational Diabetes:This occurs only in pregnant women whose bodies struggle to compensate for both baby and self.

Pre-Diabetes:A minor version of Type 2 diabetes.

Causes

Diabetes causes vary depending on your genetics make up, family history, health and

environmental factors.

Therefore there are no defined diabetes causes.

Symptoms

- Frequent / painful urination- Intense thirst and hunger- Unusual weight gain / loss- Fatigue- Cuts and bruises that do not heal.- Numbness and tingling in hands and feet- Male sexual dysfunction

Complications• Heart Disease• Stroke• High blood pressure • Blindness• Kidney Disease (nephropathy) – uncontrolled blood pressure can lead to

kidney disease.• Mental Health – uncontrolled diabetics raises the risk of suffering from

depression, anxiety and some other mental disorders• Hearing loss – Diabetic patients have a higher risk of developing hearing

problems. • Gum / Dental Disease• Amputation• Pregnancy complications.• Erectile dysfunction (male impotence)• Susceptibility to other infections and illness.• Death

Prevention• Eating healthy food.

• Taking medications as instructed.

Prevention cont. • Exercise regularly.

• Refrain from smoking.

• Control high blood pressure• Regular medical check ups – on blood sugar level, weight and others.

On Friday, November 20, 2014, The StandPoint, a program on GTV, Ghana’s No. 1 television station, with Gifty Anti hosting, dilated extensively on Diabetes.

Sit back, relax and enjoy some of the experiences.http://www.thestandpoint.com.gh/

References

Campbell & T.M. (2006), The China Study, Bembella Books: Dallas Texas.

www.medicalnewstoday.com www.diabetics.org www.aadnet.org www.idf.org