What Is Diabetes, and How Does It Affect People’s Lives?
- Science Holic
- Mar 31
- 3 min read
Author: Vincent Guo
Editors: Jonathan Chen, Rachel Chen
Artist: Christina Chen
Try to imagine a disease that affects new people daily and is a fast-growing health concern. That disease is called diabetes. Diabetes is a huge concern worldwide, and there are about 783 million people in the world who have diabetes. The cause of diabetes is insulin. Insulin is a type of hormone produced by the pancreas, which is located under the stomach. The pancreas secretes insulin when blood glucose levels are high, allowing glucose to enter cells to be used. When blood glucose levels return to normal, the pancreas stops the secretion of insulin. Glucose is an energy source for the body’s organs, like the brain, and thus is essential for proper functioning. It comes from the food we consume or from the liver when glycogen is broken down into glucose in response to low blood glucose levels to maintain homeostasis. Diabetes causes high blood glucose levels and can cause severe diseases.
What makes it even worse is that there are many different types of diabetes. The different types of diabetes includeType 1 diabetes, Type 2 diabetes, prediabetes, and gestational diabetes. The cause of Type 1 diabetes and Type 2 diabetes may be genetic or environmental influences. There are risk factors to diabetes; for example, if there is a family history of diabetes, you may have a higher chance of getting it as well. One of the other risk factors is when someone has autoantibodies (diabetes immune system cells), they are at a higher risk of getting Type 1 diabetes. Geographic location could also play a role in getting diabetes. Lastly, race also plays a factor in getting diabetes. Black, Hispanic, American Indian, and Asian American people are all more likely to be diabetic.
Prediabetes is when the blood sugar level is high but not to the point called diabetes. This can lead to diabetes if nothing is done. However, if taken care of, prediabetes won’t always lead to diabetes. Gestational diabetes occurs during pregnancy and may go away after the pregnancy. Some symptoms of diabetes are having blurry vision, feeling tired and weak, and frequently getting infections.
Finally, Type 1 diabetes commonly starts around childhood or during teen years, while Type 2 diabetes, the most common type, can start at any age. Type 2 diabetes most commonly starts occurring in people 40 years or older, though the rate of Type 2 diabetes in children is currently on the rise. Diabetes can lead to a high risk of heart issues, including chest pains, heart attacks, and strokes. Diabetes can also damage nerves, which can cause tingling, numbing sensations, burning, or pain, usually starting at the tip of the fingers or toes. It can also cause problems to other parts of the body like the eyes, kidney and ears, which could lead to hearing loss, blindness and skin problems like infections.
People who have diabetes have their daily lives affected and live differently from people who don't have diabetes. For example, exercise is essential for someone with diabetes because it helps regulate blood sugar, as your body uses glucose as an energy source when you exercise. They must also stay hydrated and watch what they eat. People with diabetes should carry a snack with them at all times because they can not eat sugary foods quickly, as that would cause a spike in their blood sugar levels, which can be dangerous if it deviates too much from the normal range. On the other hand, if blood sugar dropped too low, the snack would be able to bring blood glucose levels back to the baseline.
Fortunately, there are ways to prevent diabetes. Some of the ways are eating healthier food like fruits and vegetables, and also avoiding foods high in fat and calories. The other way is to exercise more. This can help maintain a good body weight since people who are obese or overweight are more susceptible and likely to get diabetes. Diabetes is a prevalent problem because there are many different types, making it hard to cure. Therefore, the best way to prevent diabetes is by adopting healthy eating habits.
Citations:
“Diabetes.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 27 Mar.
“Diabetes Management: How Lifestyle, Daily Routine Affect Blood Sugar.” Mayo Clinic,
Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 6 Jan. 2024,
“Diabetes.” Cleveland Clinic, 19 Dec. 2024, my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/7104-
Comments