LIVE24SEVEN // Fashion, Health & Beauty HEALTH I S SUE S – DIAB E T E S UK
Tony Kelly Diabetes UK community champion
Tony Kelly is a Diabetes UK community champion in the West Midlands. He has been in the role for five years and works with the local community to raise awareness of the condition and help people understand their risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.
Tony was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes 12 years ago. It runs in his family, but he manages the condition without any medication through his disciplined and motivated approach to healthy eating combined with physical activity.
June 11 – June 17 is Diabetes Week this year and Tony has shared his thoughts with our readers.
The simple fact is, diabetes is serious. There are currently 4.5 million people in the UK living with the condition, and 11.9 million more at increased risk of getting Type 2 diabetes.
WHAT IS DIABETES?
Diabetes is a condition where there is too much glucose in the blood because the body cannot use it properly. If not managed well, both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes can lead to devastating complications. Diabetes is one of the leading causes of preventable sight loss in people of working age in the UK and is a major cause of lower limb amputation, kidney failure and stroke.
Glucose comes from the digestion of starchy foods such as bread, rice, potatoes, chapattis, yam, plantain, sweet biscuits, sweet drinks and cakes.
The glucose (energy) is then absorbed into the bloodstream. The increase in blood glucose levels causes the pancreas to produce a vital hormone called insulin. Insulin sends messages to the cells to open the cell doors so that glucose can enter them where it is used as fuel by the body.
WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN TYPE 1 AND TYPE 2 DIABETES?
People with Type 1 diabetes cannot produce insulin. About 10 per cent of people with diabetes have Type 1. No one knows exactly what causes it, but it’s not to do with being overweight and it isn’t currently preventable. It usually affects children or young adults, starting suddenly and getting worse quickly. Type 1 diabetes is treated by daily insulin doses – taken either by injections or via an insulin pump. It is also recom- mended to follow a healthy diet and take regular physical activity.
People with Type 2 diabetes don’t produce enough insulin or the insulin they produce doesn’t work properly (known as insulin resistance). 85 to 90 per cent of people with diabetes have Type 2. They might get Type 2 diabetes because of their family history, age and ethnic background puts them at increased risk. They are also more likely to get
Type 2 diabetes if they are overweight. It starts gradually, usually later in life, and it can be years before they realise they have it. Type 2 diabetes is treated with a healthy diet and increased physical activity. In addition, tablets and/or insulin can be required.
Black and South Asian communities are two to four times more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes than those from Caucasian backgrounds. Obesity and getting older also raise your risk of developing the condition. Three in five Type 2 diabetes cases are preventable, so making healthier choices can really have a positive impact on your future health.
Here in Birmingham more than 100,000 people are living with diabetes and around 90 per cent of those are living with Type 2 diabetes. This city has some of the highest prevalence of Type 2 diabetes in the UK and we must all look after our health and take the condition seriously now.
For more information visit
www.diabetes.org.uk or to talk in confidence about diabetes call Helpline number: 0345 123 2399 Mon – Fri 9.00 am – 6.00 pm or email:
info@diabetes.org.uk
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