With the number of diabetes sufferers in the UK set to reach 6.25 million by 2035, here’s how to make sure you and your kids don’t become a statistic
Diabetes is the silent killer that we ignore at our peril. New figures show it is now the fastest growing disease in the world – and could bankrupt the NHS within the space of 20 years.
In the UK alone the condition affects nearly four million people and costs the health service £9.8billion annually. But that is expected to rise to £16.9billion by 2035.
David Haslam, chairman of the National Obesity Forum, says: “Perhaps what’s even more shocking is the fact that Type 2 diabetes is one of the few conditions that’s almost entirely preventable.
“Just by losing those excess pounds and exercising more you can massively reduce your risk.”
What is Type 2 diabetes?
There are two types of diabetes. Type 1 is the form you’re born with, while Type 2 is generally caused by leading an unhealthy lifestyle and develops as you get older.
It occurs when the body becomes resistant to the hormone insulin, resulting in a gradual increase in the body’s blood sugar levels.
People who are overweight and inactive are more at risk, particularly those who carry lots of fat around their middle.
Uncontrolled diabetes can lead to an increased risk of heart attack and stroke, kidney damage, blindness and damage to the blood vessels in the feet, which can even result in them being amputated.
A deadly disease
Despite the fact that it’s so preventable, rates of Type 2 diabetes have rocketed as the nation has got fatter – with 26% of us now considered obese.
Worse still, we’re now finding out that the disease has even more side effects than originally thought.
One study by the University of Cambridge last year found that being diagnosed with diabetes in middle age could knock six years off your life.
While previous studies have found that diabetes could double the risk of heart attack and stroke, the recent findings suggest that it also puts sufferers at greater risk of dying from a host of other causes – including cancer and infections – as well as suffering mental illness.
All of which is pretty worrying when you consider that an estimated 850,000 people in the UK already have diabetes but don’t know it – a delay which could have potentially deadly repercussions.
“Unfortunately, by the time they’re diagnosed with the condition, half of all sufferers have already developed complications as they may have been living with it for up to 10 years,” says Libby Dowling, clinical adviser at Diabetes UK.
Are my kids at risk?
Most cases of Type 2 diabetes are still diagnosed in people over 40.
But parents should take note – as childhood obesity soars, so does the risk of them developing diabetes.
Just 10 years ago, Type 2 diabetes was virtually unknown in teenagers, but Diabetes UK now estimates that around 500 children are suffering from it – and many more are likely to follow unless we act now to reverse the trend.
The warning signs
See your GP if you begin to notice any of the following symptoms:
● Feeling very thirsty
● Weeing frequently – often getting up in middle of the night to go to the toilet
● Blurred vision
● Feeling excessively tired
● Cuts and wounds taking much longer to heal than they normally do
● Suffering frequent episodes of thrush infection
For more advice and to assess whether you are at risk, visit www.diabetes.org.uk.
Catching the disease early
Amid all the doom and gloom, it’s important to remember that rising rates of diabetes don’t have to be an inevitable fact of life.
A few simple changes to your diet and exercise habits now will protect you and your children in the future.
Two large-scale US studies have shown that people with pre-diabetes – those with high blood sugar levels who have not yet developed the full-blown disease – can slash their risk of diabetes by 60% with the right lifestyle changes.
Better still, losing weight and exercising more was found to be twice as effective as conventional medication in preventing it from taking hold.
And even if you already suffer from diabetes, making these changes could still reduce your reliance on medication to control it and your chances of developing some of the nastier conditions related to the disease.
Research shows the following simple lifestyle changes will significantly reduce your chances of developing the condition.
Find out your family history
If there’s diabetes in your immediate family then you’re automatically at greater risk of getting the disease. Visit your GP to get tested.
Banish your jelly belly
If you’re overweight, you’re 100 times more likely to develop diabetes. Carrying weight around your middle is particularly dangerous.
As a rule of thumb, your waist should measure less than 31in for women and 37in for men. Losing just 10% of your body weight offers significant protection.
Get a move on
The best way to cut your risk or manage the disease if you already have it is with exercise.
Studies have found that just 30 minutes, five days a week, of any activity that makes your heart rate faster, will cut your risk by up to 60%.
You are what you eat
Not only the amount, but the type of food you eat can play a big part in decreasing or increasing your diabetes risk.
Research has shown that a diet high in fat, salt and sugar doesn’t help, while a diet high in fibre and fruit and veg will reduce your risk.
A 2010 study found spinach and cabbage specifically can help keep it at bay.
Change traditional white bread for wholemeal
A recent study by Tufts University in the US found that the more whole grain foods a person eats, the lower their diabetes risk.
This means it’s a good idea to switch from eating white bread, rice and pasta to granary bread, brown rice and wholemeal pasta.
Drink more coffee
Another study revealed that three compounds found in coffee – caffeine, caffeic acid and chlorogenic acid – can block the protein that is known to trigger developing the disease long-term.
Check your blood pressure
Uncontrolled high blood pressure can double your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, so ask your GP to measure it for you.
Get some more shut-eye
A study by the University at Buffalo in New York found that sleeping less than six hours a night could increase your risk of diabetes.
Inadequate sleep will also make it harder to exercise and stick to a healthy diet.
source: mirror
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