The good news is that there are risk factors that lead to diabetes, which, if we can modify them, we can remove the risk of this epidemic of our times. Each of us can manage and minimize the risk of developing Diabetes Mellitus by adopting a healthy lifestyle.
Small steps can make a difference.
Type II Diabetes Mellitus is a non-infectious non-communicable disease of epidemic proportions globally.
Diabetes Mellitus is a heterogeneous syndrome with a multifactorial substrate and is characterized by disorders in the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats and proteins that lead either to the decrease of the secretion of insulin, or to resistance to the action of insulin in the tissues.
A result of a metabolism disorder is the increase of blood glucose levels. Type II Diabetes Mellitus regards 90% of diabetic patients. Moreover, 1 in 2 diabetic patients remains undiagnosed.
Prediabetes
People in the prediabetes stage, before the development of diabetes: The risk of development of diabetes in these people is estimated to 25-30% in the next 3-5 years.
Am I at a prediabetes stage?
People that need to undergo presymptomatic screening (check):
• Age > 45 years
• Waist circumference > 102cm in men, > 88cm in women
• Family History of Diabetes
• Family history of hypertension or cardiovascular disease
• History of dyslipidemia
• History of gestational Diabetes
• Birth of children with a Bodyweight > 4Kgr
• Women with polycystic ovary syndrome
Most of the above factors are modifiable, therefore a significant pillar for reducing the spread of diabetes is “PREVENTION”.
The effectiveness of early intervention in the high-risk categories is very well documented from studies in the international literature.
It is now known and documented that the explosive increase in cases of diabetes mellitus is mainly due to sedentary lifestyle, lack of exercise and obesity.
Unfortunately, this lifestyle has been also adopted by children and adolescents - therefore it is obvious that the early diagnosis and intervention begins within the family, having as key driving force the role of women (mother - wife) that promotes a healthy lifestyle in the family.
(World Diabetes Day 2017 dedicated to the role of the WOMAN).
Interventions of health - diet character:
• Decrease of the body weight at least by 5% if it is increased.
• Physical exercise - at least 30min, of moderate intensity, 5 times a week.
• Decrease of total fat to < 30% of the daily energy intake.
• Decrease of saturated fat < 10% / daily.
• Increase of the intake of plant fibers to ~ 25-35gr/ daily.
Adoption of a healthy lifestyle:
It has been proven that it leads to the delay of development of Diabetes Mellitus. Even in people that have been already diagnosed with diabetes, a key factor for the proper regulation is the proper daily self management of the disease, by the adaptation to a healthier lifestyle as well as by the compliance of the patient to the treatment.
The early diagnosis and treatment is of vital importance for people with diabetes, because, in the long-term, they avoid or minimize the progressive damages in target organs (eyes, kidneys, heart, blood vessels) and finally, by reducing the complications, we manage to decrease the hospitalization days and prevent premature deaths.