Understanding Diabetes Understanding Diabetes

Diabetes is on the rise, and it’s showing no signs of slowing down – in fact, projections by the International Diabetes Federation estimate that by 2050, 853 million people worldwide will be living with diabetes. With so many people predicted to receive a diagnosis, it’s inevitable that diabetes will somehow touch our lives, if it hasn’t already – whether we receive a diagnosis ourselves, or someone we care about develops it. It’s a daunting prospect, but learning about diabetes and how to manage it is key to living well and staying healthy. In this brand-new title, we’ll delve into everything you need to know about the condition, from the various types of diabetes and who is at risk, to how to manage it in day-to-day life. Elsewhere, we speak to…

Diabetes is a chronic condition where the body can’t manage glucose and insulin production as it should, leading to a build-up of glucose in the blood stream that can cause serious health complications. It’s also increasingly common; according to the World Health Organisation, around 830 million people around the world are living with diabetes. Diabetes isn’t one single condition; there are many different types, with different causes and symptoms. Understanding how the body works and what happens when you have diabetes can help you come to terms with the condition, especially if you’re newly diagnosed. The more you know about diabetes, the better you can learn to manage your own condition or support someone living with it. What is diabetes? Diabetes refers to a condition where the body either does…

Diabetes can often come as a surprise, as not everyone has symptoms, especially early on. Many of the key signs and symptoms can be quite subtle or easily attributed to another cause. However, knowledge is power, so learning the symptoms and possible early warning signs, especially for those who have one or more of the associated risk factors (see the boxout), can help to get an earlier diagnosis and treatment. Symptoms can vary depending on the type of diabetes, though some of them do overlap, so it’s worth being aware of all the main symptoms, as well as some of the less common ones. If someone is prediabetic, they may not have any symptoms at all, only being identified via a blood test. Most common symptoms While the symptoms for…

You’ve gone for routine blood tests, not expecting anything to show up, and suddenly you’re told that you’re prediabetic. This can, understandably, cause concern and you may be left wondering what it means, what you can do about it and whether you’re facing a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes in your future. It’s completely normal to feel worried, confused or even in denial about being prediabetic, as it will rarely present with any symptoms, meaning it can often come out of the blue. It’s also normal to feel like you’re to blame or experience feelings of shame, but it’s a really common condition so you’re not alone. In the USA, around 38% of the adult population have prediabetes, and in the UK, it’s thought to affect around one in five…

While at-home finger prick testing kits can show whether someone has a high level of blood glucose, this is not a confirmation of diabetes itself. To receive a diagnosis, a blood test will usually require taking a small sample from a vein in the arm, which is then sent to a laboratory for analysis. This test can often be carried out by someone’s GP, with results taking a few days to come back from the lab. Other people may find that they have the test done in hospital, if their symptoms have made them very unwell. It’s likely that these people will know the results a lot quicker and within just a few hours. How do the blood tests work? The main blood test used to diagnose diabetes is called…

We all want the best for our children. That best does not include diabetes. However, for about 35,000 children under the age of 19 in Britain, their life does involve diabetes. Of these, the majority (96%) have type 1 diabetes. It’s important to state at the outset that diabetes is not a reflection on your parenting. There was nothing you could have done differently that would have stopped your child developing the condition. From now on, it’s a question of learning to live with the disease, acknowledging and understanding it, but making sure that, as far as possible, it does not define your child’s life going forwards. The good news is that, with advances in treatment and monitoring, there is nothing to stop these children leading as full and active…