There are diseases that pose a challenge for medicine because their origin is unknown or they require extensive research to eradicate them Type 2 diabetes the most common of which exists does not belong to either of the two groups we know why it occurs and avoiding it has to do fundamentally with following healthy lifestyles However it is also a challenge for public health due to the number of people affected the rate at which it grows and the impact it has on quality and life expectancy.
Type 2 diabetes is that the body does not process insulin well the hormone that makes it easier for glucose from food to pass into cells and become energy Two factors are decisive to prevent this from occurring a balanced diet which ensures that more glucose is not ingested than the body needs and regular physical activity which makes cells sensitive to insulin in addition to preventing overweight and obesity directly related to the disease.
The solution seems simple you just have to eat well and move but it is not that simple The World Diabetes Report prepared by WHO on the occasion of World Health Day 2016 recommended “implementing programs to promote the consumption of healthy foods and discourage the consumption of unhealthy foods such as sugary soft drinks and create social environments and urban planning that support the practice of physical activity ”.
In the society of opulence that we live in it is very difficult to establish these habits and the result is the growing epidemic that we suffer The progressive abandonment of healthy eating habits such as the Mediterranean diet is behind the increase for the moment unstoppable that the disease has registered in countries such as Portugal Greece or Spain The WHO report notes that it is not a problem unique to rich countries The prevalence has increased more rapidly in countries with low and middle income.
Coping with the epidemic is also a global economic challenge 12 of global health spending is dedicated to the treatment and health complications that diabetes brings when it is not well controlled The problem is particularly relevant in Europe due to the aging of the population one of the risk factors for the disease The economic impact on patients and their families and on health systems represents a significant obstacle to sustainable development notes the International Diabetes Federation IDF Diabetes Atlas.
What are the consequences of the body of a sick person being unable to remove glucose from the bloodstream The effects are slow and inexorable Vascular micro-injuries can lead to blindness kidney failure or various neuropathies.
The sequelae reach the cells of any part of the body also those of vital organs such as the heart or the kidney, For this reason, a person with undiagnosed or poorly controlled type 2 diabetes is more likely to suffer a heart attack or stroke in the long term than a healthy individual or another with regular monitoring of the evolution?