Diabetes is now recognised as the world’s fastest growing chronic condition. The number of people with type 2 diabetes is rapidly growing in each country. In 2013, diabetes caused 1.5 million deaths globally. Higher blood glucose levels also caused an additional 2.2 million deaths, by increasing the risks of cardiovascular and other diseases.
Global Statistics
In 2015, the 7th edition of the International Diabetes Federation’s (IDF) Diabetes Atlas estimated that:
- One in 11 adults has diabetes (415 million)
- One in two (46.5 per cent) adults with diabetes is undiagnosed
- 12 per cent of global health expenditure is spent on diabetes (USD$673 billion)
- One in seven births is affected by gestational diabetes
- Three-quarters (75 per cent) of people with diabetes live in low- and middle-income countries
- 542,000 children have type 1 diabetes
- Every six seconds a person dies from diabetes (5.0 million deaths)
By 2040, IDF estimates that:
- One adult in ten will have diabetes (642 million)
- Diabetes-related health expenditure will exceed USD$802 billion
37 per cent of all adults with diabetes live in the Western Pacific region (which includes Australia);
- China with over 100 million people with diabetes (ranked highest number of people with diabetes),
- Indonesia with 10 million people with diabetes (7th highest),
- Japan with 7.2 million people with diabetes (9th highest).
What Causes Diabetes?
Type 2 diabetes is one of the major consequences of the obesity epidemic. The combination of massive changes to diet and the food supply, combined with massive changes to physical activity with more sedentary work and less activity, means most populations are seeing more type 2 diabetes.
Genes also play a part with higher risk of type 2 diabetes in Chinese, South Asian, Indian, Pacific Islander and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations.
Symptoms
In type 1 diabetes, symptoms are often sudden and can be life-threatening; therefore it is usually diagnosed quite quickly. In type 2 diabetes, many people have no symptoms at all, while other signs can go unnoticed being seen as part of ‘getting older’.
Therefore, by the time symptoms are noticed, complications of diabetes may already be present.
Common symptoms include:
- Being more thirsty than usual
- Passing more urine
- Feeling tired and lethargic
- Always feeling hungry
- Having cuts that heal slowly
- Itching, skin infections
- Blurred vision
- Unexplained weight loss (type 1)
- Gradually putting on weight (type 2)
- Mood swings
- Headaches
- Feeling dizzy
- Leg cramps
What To Do About It.
There are different types of diabetes; the three most common types of diabetes are type 1, type 2 and gestational diabetes. Strong international evidence shows diabetes prevention programs can help prevent type 2 diabetes in up to 58 per cent of cases. You can do a lot to reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes (read our tips below).
The good news is that there have been multiple studies conducted on the benefits of completing an alkaline diet, such as Living Lean, when dealing with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes.
Type 1 Diabetes
Currently type 1 diabetes cannot be prevented. However, researchers are looking into the autoimmune process and environmental factors that lead people to developing type 1 diabetes to help prevent type 1 diabetes in the future. Living Lean has been proven to assist Type 1 diabetics in reducing their insulin requirements. Eileen, a registered nurse, from Sydney reduced her insulin requirements by 35% in 11 days when undertaking the Living Lean program.
Type 2 Diabetes
Evidence, including large-scale randomised control trials, shows type 2 diabetes can be prevented or delayed in up to 58 per cent of cases by maintaining a healthy weight, being physically active and following a healthy eating plan, like that found on the Living Lean program. Increasing alkalinity has also proven to assist in treating the condition.
People at risk of type 2 diabetes can delay and even prevent the condition by:
- Maintaining a healthy weight
- Regular physical activity
- Making healthy food choices
- Managing blood pressure
- Managing cholesterol levels
- Not smoking.
Many people don’t know they are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Here at Living Lean, we take a strong interest in diabetes and the impact it is having on society. Health, lifestyle and financial factors will impact on the majority of our population within the next 20 years. We are pleased to be able to assist with the treatment of this condition.
Over the next few weeks we will explore in detail the impact diabetes is having on particular regions across the world and provide medical research that links the benefits of our Living Lean program to the treatment diabetes.
Source: Diabetes Australia