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28 March 2024

World Diabetes Day: Things you need to know

Published
By Staff

With Diabetes becoming a growing concern amongst the UAE residents, we thought it was important for you to know these 10 facts about the disease.

Diabetes describes a group of metabolic diseases in which the person has higher than optimal level of blood sugar, either because insulin production is inadequate or your body doesn't use the insulin properly, or both.

There are three types of Diabetes

Type 1 Diabetes – Lack of insulin production

Type 2 Diabetes –  Body’s ineffective use of insulin (This is the most common)

Gestational Diabetes – Raised blood sugar levels in females during pregnancy

The warning signs of diabetes include frequent urination, intense thirst and hunger, fatigue, unusual weight loss, obesity, slow healing of bruises and cuts, blurred vision, numbness and tingling in hands and feet. Both types of diabetes have some of the same telltale warning signs.

The major cause of increase in the incidence of Type 2 diabetes is a sedentary lifestyle with too much time in front of a screen, eating habits involving too many calories and too few being burned.

About one third people with diabetes do not know they have the disease.

Type 2 diabetes can be prevented by eating healthy food and being active with at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity each day.

Early detection and diagnosis is vital to reverse or help delay the development of Type 2 diabetes.

Diabetes is the number one cause of kidney failure in the world. It is also an important cause of heart disease, stroke and cataract.

Many children who have Type 2 diabetes can keep their blood sugar levels in check by eating healthy and through intake of oral medications like metformin. They don’t necessarily need to take insulin shots.

There are a variety of easy-to-use home monitors in the market with which patients can test their blood sugar.

Join the annual Beat Diabetes Walk on Friday, November 24, 2017 at the Dubai Creek Park. Organised to educate UAE residents about diabetes and the need to make healthy lifestyle choices, the walk has become a regular fixture in the country’s health and fitness calendar.

Registrations can be completed online at www.beatdiabetes.me until November 18, 2017.

There is a nominal participation fee of Dhs20 per adult and Dhs10 per child. Funds will be donated to Al Jalila Foundation to support diabetes research, awareness and education programmes in the UAE.