Diabetes is a global burden with numerous complications that can be prevented with timely assessment and lifestyle modifications. There are two types of diabetes, type 1 is caused by failure of insulin production due to pancreatic insufficiency, and type 2 is caused by insulin resistance, resulting in chronically elevated blood glucose levels (Dendup et al., 2018). Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is caused by genetic abnormalities associated with environmental factors (Bellou et al., 2018).
Such factors as a diet rich in processed meat and simple carbohydrates, physical inactivity, increased body mass index, and smoking was associated with the development of T2DM (Bellou et al., 2018). Indeed, all these factors can be controlled to prevent the development of diabetes and its complications, such as cardiovascular diseases, lower-extremity amputations, diabetic retinopathy, neuropathy, and renal disease (Harding et al., 2019). Timely risk assessment of diabetes helps to introduce appropriate lifestyle modifications to stop health deterioration.
Various diabetes risk assessment software has been developed to help people to monitor their health. For example, Siteman Cancer Center’s disease risk assessment online tool identifies current risk for some chronic illnesses, including diabetes. It evaluates a person’s dietary habits, physical activity, alcohol consumption and smoking, and family history of T2DM. After completing the questionnaire, I learned that my risk for the development of diabetes is above average. Furthermore, I received some recommendations for disease prevention, such as normalizing my weight, increasing whole grain consumption, and reducing food rich in refined starches in my diet. I found this tool helpful in determining my current state of health and identifying future goals for lifestyle modifications.
Overall, diabetes is a severe chronic disease that can be prevented by dietary and physical activity modifications. Addressing risk factors early in the disease course is crucial for stopping the progression of diabetic complications. Modern risk assessment tools allow identifying the current state of health and possibilities of developing the disease. Using Siteman Cancer Center’s disease risk assessment questionnaire, I determined that I have an increased tendency to develop diabetes. I will try to become more physically active and eat healthy to address these risks and prevent the development of T2DM in the future.
References
Bellou, V., Belbasis, L., Tzoulaki, I., & Evangelou, E. (2018). Risk factors for type 2 diabetes mellitus: An exposure-wide umbrella review of meta-analyses. PloS ONE, 13(3), 1-27. Web.
Dendup, T., Feng, X., Clingan, S., & Astell-Burt, T. (2018). Environmental risk factors for developing type 2 diabetes mellitus: A systematic review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 15(1), 1-25. Web.
Harding, J. L., Pavkov, M. E., Magliano, D. J., Shaw, J. E., & Gregg, E. W. (2019). Global trends in diabetes complications: A review of current evidence. Diabetologia, 62(1), 3-16. Web.