Type II diabetes formerly referred to as adult onset diabetes, used to be a disease that affected the old and mostly observed in our parents and grandparents. In recent times this has however not been the case with more and more cases found in children and teenagers and thus the name change to type II diabetes. The increasing incidence, prevalence and mortality rates associated with people with type II diabetes has led to its being referred to as a modern epidemic that is said to be affecting over 220 million people worldwide and killing over 1.1 million people in 2005 (Karam & McFarlane, 2011). This alarming statistics has led to more attention being paid to the prevention and all the more so since there is no known cure for the disease. In the bid to prevent, the cause of type II diabetes is sought and this has given rise to numerous debates and research with varying opinions and results.
In the professional world type II diabetes is often refereed to as a ‘lifestyle disease’ because it is more common to people who perform very little physical activities and thereby obese or overweight especially around the waist. Other risk factors include high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, unhealthy eating habits, smoking, alcohol use, high intake of sugary and salty food with low fiber intake and people with first-degree relatives with type 2 diabetes (Better Health Channel, 2014. These factors however do not explain the increasing incidence and prevalence especially among people living in low-income communities and appearing to be an affliction of the poor and more common to poor women (Raphael and Anstice et al., 2003). Evidence of this is shown in a report by the Toronto star where it was observed that poverty; visible minorit...
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...cannot alleviate type II diabetes for people who are living in poverty. The root cause has to be addressed in terms of the social determinants and most especially income. Government has to play a key role for optimal management of type II diabetes by making policy changes to alleviate poverty.
Improved income will result in people having improved health. They will have the means to acquire the necessary resources that is needed to improve their life and health with adequate housing and healthy food. They will also have less stress with all the challenges of how to survive with inadequate income no longer an issue. Management of their diabetes will also become a lot easier as they will be able to afford to eat the recommended healthy food and take the required medication. With diabetes management under control it will result in less incidence and mortality rates.
Wyness, L. (2009). Understanding the role of diet in type 2 diabetes prevention. British Journal of Community Nursing, 14(9), 374.
Accordingto Diabetes UK (2012) “There are currently 3.8 million people in the UK with diabetes, including an estimated 850,000 people who have Type 2 diabetes but do not know it.” Helping to shape their services and work, Diabetes UK makes sure to involve people affected by and at risk of diabetes no matter what ethnic background they come from. From support and care to preventing, campaigning, fundraising and researching, they work to take on the fastest growing epidemic in the UK.
Weng. (2000). Geographic and social factors are related to increased morbidity and mortality rates in diabetic patients. Diabet Med.17(8), pp 612-617.
Clark, M. L., & Utz, S. (2014, June 15). Social determinants of type 2 diabetes
Hu, F. B., Manson, J. E., Stampfer, M. J., Colditz, G., Liu, S., Solomon, C. G., & Willett, W. C. (2001). Diet, lifestyle, and the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus in women. New England Journal of Medicine, 345(11), 790-797.
Variations in life expectancy and its changes are one major cause of rising income inequality. How long a person lives, as well as their quality of health, can have an important and huge impact on their income and social mobility. The life expectancy of the bottom 10% increases at only half the rate that the life expectancy of the top 10% does (Belsie). This shows that improvements in medicine benefit the wealthy more than the poor. The less wealthy have decreased access to good medical insurance and cannot afford more expensive, quality medical care. The poor are less likely to invest in healthy food and exercise, lowering life expectancy and overall health. These changes result in a cycle that causes the poor to be less healthy, and the less healthy to become increasingly poor. On the other side, the rich have different variations of habits, education, and environments, which can affect life expectancy, often positively for the
Jost, Kenneth. “Diabetes Epidemic: why is this serious disease on the increase?” The CQ Researcher (March 9, 2001): 185-200
Thesis: Diabetes type 1 is different from type 2 and if given the wrong treatment it could lead to devastating consequences.
Satterfield, DW, Volansky, M, Caspersen, CJ, Engelgau, MM, Bowman, BA, Gregg, EW, Geiss, LS, Hosey, GM, May, J & Vinicor, F 2003, ‘Community- Based Lifestyle Interventions to Prevent Type 2 Diabetes’, Diabetes Care, vol.26, no.9, September, pp.2643-2652, viewed 10th May 2011.
Since Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus is one of the most common health challenges world-wide, I am going to further incorporate the topic in my paper. Through academic research and resources, in my first paragraph I will be providing the health promotion definition along with expressing the importance for patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. My second paragraph will display the pathophysiology to help comprehend how this health challenge is present in the body. Health promotion interventions will also be incorporated with ideas and specific information to aid individuals in promoting health and preventing development of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.
Diabetes Mellitus is a disease in which the pancreas produces little or no insulin. Insulin is a hormone that helps the body’s tissues absorb glucose which is sugar, so it can be used as a source of energy. Glucose levels build up in the blood and urine which causes excessive urination, thirst, hunger, and problems with fat and protein metabolism in a diabetic person. Diabetes is very common in the United States; it is the seventh leading cause of all deaths. Women have been diagnosed with diabetes more than men. There are two forms of diabetes, Type one and Type two diabetes. Type one diabetes is when the body does not produce insulin or produces it in very small quantities. This usually occurs in younger people under twenty years of age, mostly around puberty. Type two diabetes is when the body’s balance between insulin production and the ability of cells to use insulin doesn’t work properly. This is more common than type one; about 90-95% people in the United States have it. There are no cures for diabetes now but there are many researchers investigating factors through new technologies to cure them. Meanwhile, technological advancements are being made to keep glucose at a good level for diabetes.
According to Krisha McCoy on her article: The history of Diabetes; “In 150 AD, the Greek physician Arateus described what we now call diabetes as "the melting down of flesh and limbs into urine." From then on, physicians began to gain a better understanding about diabetes. Centuries later, people known as "water tasters" diagnosed diabetes by tasting the urine of people suspected to have it. If urine tasted sweet, diabetes was diagnosed. To acknowledge this feature, in 1675 the word "mellitus," meaning honey, was added to the name "diabetes," meaning siphon. It wasn't until the 1800s that scientists developed chemical tests to detect the presence of sugar in the urine”.
Diabetes mellitus is a group of metabolic disorders which is characterized by hyperglycemia due to insulin deficiency or resistance or both reasons. (1) According to that diabetes mellitus can be divided as type I and type II. This is common and its incidence is rising, 171 million people had diabetes in 2000 it is expected this condition to be doubled in 2030. It is spread in all the countries and therefore has become a major burden upon healthcare facilities. (2)
Zimmet, P., K.G. Alberti, and J. Shaw.2001. Global and societal implications of the diabetes epidemic. Nature 414 (December 13): 782-86
In conclusion, diabetes is a serious disease and can be life threatening. With the right research and implementation of new studies diabetes can be reduced among the populations. We as a people need to realize this epidemic and all get together and beat it. Restaurants need to stop putting chemicals and unnecessary fats in their food. Not only diabetics but everyone should educate themselves on what is going in your body when you eat. Also, exercising and getting off the couch, in children, needs to be addressed and that alone would help reduce diabetes in the younger population. I can’t stress enough on education. If you know what you are eating or how you are exercising you protect yourself from poor health and live a great life. Type 2 diabetes can be dwindled down with a conscious individual and group effort.