Type 2 Diabetes is the most common form of diabetes, it’s a chronic condition that happens when blood sugar levels "glucose" are too high.
Type 2 diabetes is linked to lifestyle risk factors like obesity and lack of exercise. It usually develops in people over 45, and happens when the body becomes less sensitive toinsulin hormone which controls blood sugar levels.
In this article, we’ll go over what causes type 2 diabetes, the risk factors, life expectancy for those with it, and how to prevent it.
The spread of type 2 diabetes
Data shows that type 2 diabetes rates have increased in the last 30 years worldwide. The rise in type 2 diabetes is at a dangerous rate, so public health officials consider it a global health crisis.
Reports on global diabetes prevalence say about 462 million people worldwide suffer from type 2 diabetes. Around 6.28% of the world's population has type 2 diabetes, with a prevalence of 6.059 cases per 100.000 people. This number is expected to rise to 7.079 cases per 100.000 people by 2030.
Also, more than one million people die every year due to type 2 diabetes, making it the ninth leading cause of death worldwide.
Causes of type 2 diabetes
Type 2 diabetes can seriously affect health, but life expectancy with the disease depends on when it's diagnosed and how well it's treated. Life expectancy also depends on how well the patient controls blood sugar levels and avoids factors that increase complication risks, These factors include:-
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Smoking
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Unhealthy diet
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Lack of physical activity
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Unhealthy weight
Research shows type 2 diabetes is linked on average to a 1.3-2 times higher risk of early death, mostly due to heart and blood vessel diseases. But some factors help improve outlook for people with diabetes. New drugs, scanning techniques, diagnosis, treatment, and a renewed focus on eating a balanced healthy diet and keeping a proper weight can also make a positive difference.
Causes of type 2 diabetes include:-
Aging
The older you get, the higher your risk of type 2 diabetes, no matter your genes, weight, or diet. This is because cells get less able to respond to insulin, which is called insulin sensitivity, especially after age 45.
When cells become more Insulin resistance, it becomes hard to effectively remove sugar from the blood, causing blood sugar levels to get very high. Also, scientists think the pancreas, the organ that makes insulin, ages "gets older" too. It loses its ability to pump insulin efficiently like when a person was younger.
Genes "heredity"
Usually, a diabetes diagnosis raises a lot of questions. Is this disease inherited? Are the patients' kids likely at risk? Can people prevent it, or are some folks just genetically more prone to it from the start?
Answers are complex, but research shows genes "heredity" play a role in type 2 diabetes. In fact, many people are now thought to inherit a tendency to get it, and something in their environment triggers it. Still, heredity alone doesn't explain why one person gets type 2 diabetes and another doesn’t.
Type 2 diabetes has a stronger genetic component than type 1, twin studies show that if one twin has it, the other is 3-4 times more likely to get it too.
Similarly, family history seems important, as type 2 diabetes is often seen in both parents and kids. Also, studies have identified over 120 gene variants linked to causing type 2 diabetes.
Diet "the diet"
The diet is one of the most important factors in keeping blood sugar levels healthy and increasing lifespan in type 2 diabetes. Managing blood sugar can be hard because either the pancreas does not make enough insulin or the insulin made is not used effectively.
Learning what to eat and avoid, controlling portions, and meeting nutritional needs is key to living a healthy life without symptoms. Some diets, sometimes called "diabetes diets," have proven helpful in keeping blood sugar within a healthy range.
All diabetes diets encourage increasing intake of fiber, avoiding added sugar, and consuming complex carbohydrates, and avoid foods high in trans fats and saturated fats. The goal of these diets is to provide the body with necessary nutrients while reducing simple carbs that cause blood sugar levels to rise.
While there’s no one diet that fits all for people with diabetes, it’s important to note there are some well-planned meal plans that have shown they can reduce the risk of medical complications from type 2 diabetes.
Some diabetes diets can include the following:-
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Paleo diet plan
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DASH diet methods to stop high blood pressure
Type 2 diabetes prevention
You can largely prevent type 2 diabetes if you know the risk factors and take quick steps to reduce their bad impact on your health.
Risk factors for type 2 diabetes include:-
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Weight gain "obesity", Body Mass Index BMI Over 25
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Having a family history of diabetes
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Inactive lifestyle "sedentary"
The American Diabetes Association recommends most adults start diabetes screening at age 35. Regardless of age, there are some behaviors people can do to prevent type 2 diabetes.
Preventive behaviors for type 2 diabetes include the following:-
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Increasing physical activity:- Regular physical activity means getting at least 150 minutes a week of walking fast walking or a similar activity. Considered bike riding, andrunning, and swimming, and climbing are highly recommended activities. Most healthcare experts suggest doing 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise, enough to sweat, five days a week.
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Following a healthy diet:- Eating too many refined and simple carbs and not enough fiber causes obesity. This can lead to type 2 diabetes. So, consider switching to a diet based on complex carbs, andvegetables and fruits, andlean proteins, andhealthy fats. Over time, this can help prevent type 2 diabetes.
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Getting to the right weight:- Losing weight can reduce insulin resistance, helping the body use this hormone better. Research shows that losing a small amount of weight can lower the risk of type 2 diabetes. A small amount means losing about 5%-7% of body weight.
Conditions that come with type 2 diabetes
Obesity is linked to type 2 diabetes and is the first thing many think of. But high blood pressure, heart disease, high blood fats, sleep apnea, and chronic kidney disease can also cause or worsen type 2 diabetes.
Risk factors for many of these conditions overlap with those for type 2 diabetes. So lifestyle changes and treatments that help control or prevent diabetes can also lower chances of problems from these conditions.
In the end, if someone has risk factors like extra belly fat or a lazy lifestyle, they might want to work with a healthcare provider to check their risk for type 2 diabetes.
