Diagnosing Diabetes & Diabetes Facts
The World Health Organization keeps track of diabetes facts and figures worldwide. According to their most recent statistics, more than 180 million people in the world suffer from some form of diabetes. It is estimated that this number will double by the year, 2030.
While diabetes is increasing at an alarming rate in the United States, where 20.8 million people suffer from diabetes, low and middle-income countries account for 80% of deaths worldwide.
In 2005, 1.1 million people in the world died from diabetes. More than half of these people were under the age of 70, and women have a higher death rate from diabetes than men, accounting for 55% of diabetes deaths.
Diabetes facts show that immediate action is needed to control the high rate of deaths from this disease. It’s projected that in the next 10 years, deaths from diabetes will increase by 50%, and that number will increase by as high as 80% in the poorest countries.
What Is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a disease that is caused by blood glucose levels that are too high. It can cause long-term problems in all the major systems of the body including the:
Heart
Lungs
Kidneys
Nerves
Eyes
Here are some additional diabetes facts:
Diabetic neuropathy affects as many as 50% of people with the disease, and causes intense pain as well as feelings of numbness and tingling, especial in the hands and feet. Diabetic retinopathy is damage to the blood vessels in the eye and one of the leading causes of blindness.
People with diabetes suffer from all types of skin problems and heal slowly. They are also are at higher risk to have limb amputations, kidney failure, and are 50% more likely to die from heart disease and stroke.
The total cost of diabetes in the United States in 2007 was $174 billion. The World Health Organization estimates that in the years 2006-2015, diabetes, heart disease and stroke will cost China $558 billion in lost national income.
Treatment & Management Of Diabetes
A healthy diet, plenty of exercise, and medication can control diabetes and keep it at a manageable level. There is a need for more focus on diabetes worldwide and education for low-income people so that they can recognize the symptoms of the disease and also have the means to get appropriate treatment.
While there is no cure for diabetes, it can be managed and treated. While treatment may mean insulin injections for people with type 1 diabetes and oral medication for type 2 diabetes, the goal of a lower blood sugar levels can also be reached when people maintain a healthy diet with lots of grains, vegetables and fruits, and when they add 30 minutes of exercise to their daily routines.
Those who are at risk should have regular doctor visits every three months for diabetes checkups, and also make sure that they are controlling their blood pressure and cholesterol - two areas sometimes neglected even by medical doctors.
It is possible through education worldwide to begin to make diabetes facts a little more positive.