Abstract
The conditions that modern people live in can be characterized by the availability of processed foods and lack of need for regular physical activity, which results in a growing incidence of diabetes cases. In cases of poorly controlled diabetes, its adverse effects on blood vessels, nerves, and kidneys can lead to premature death. While the exact mechanisms and causes of diabetes remain unknown, modern researchers have thoroughly studied its symptoms in increased blood sugar levels. Until the causes of diabetes are not defined, treatment focuses on maintaining normal blood sugar levels through lifestyle interventions, medications, and insulin injections.
Introduction
The complexity of human organisms implies a substantial number of risk factors for human health. In some cases, combining several factors in the external environment can pose the same risks to a large population group. The lifestyle practiced by modern people is associated with low levels of physical activity and high consumption of over-processed food products, which creates health risks for a significant part of the modern population. Health experts point out that humanity currently experiences a hidden epidemic of diabetes, which significantly affects the global population’s well-being and quality of life. This writing project will explore the leading causes of the global diabetes epidemic to identify the most effective ways to solve the health problem or prevent its spread.
Causes
Firstly, defining the causes of the disease provides valuable insight for understanding the problem’s scope. Diabetes mellitus refers to a chronic condition characterized by high blood sugar levels due to the body’s insufficient production or use of insulin. The condition can be lifelong, which implies an individual’s genetic predisposition or acquired through a specific lifestyle. In the first case, the condition is known as Type 1 diabetes, while the second case refers to Type 2 diabetes.
The discussion of the current diabetes epidemic predominantly focuses on Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), associated with aging, low physical activity, obesity, and the development of insulin resistance. In 90% of all diabetes cases, the disease develops due to impaired insulin production in the pancreas, which increases blood glucose levels (1). To compensate for insulin resistance, the pancreatic islets increase their cell mass, making islet dysfunction one of the central elements in T2DM pathogenesis. While the exact causes of T2DM are unknown, the knowledge of environmental, genetic, and lifestyle factors that affect insulin production and result in increased blood sugar levels allows defining measures for treating and preventing T2DM.
Symptoms & Diagnostic Tests
Considering that diabetes symptoms can remain undetected for a long time, timely diagnosis of the disease presents an essential measure for resolving the public health problem. While the molecular mechanisms of diabetes remain unclear, its symptoms and signs are thoroughly explored in modern healthcare. Moreover, the existing body of knowledge on diabetes symptoms allows diagnosing people with pre-diabetes, the condition that ultimately leads to the development of the disease.
The primary symptom associated with a diabetes diagnosis is a high blood glucose level; therefore, the tests used to diagnose diabetes are also used in pre-diabetes screening (FPG, PG in OGTT, A1C) (Figure 1). Additional risk factors that support the development of the disease, such as obesity, sedentary lifestyle, aging, hypertension, smoking, and alcohol consumption, are considered during physical examination. While physical examination does not present the primary diagnostic measure, it confirms the diagnosis and identifies potential risks of complications and comorbidities.
Effect on the Body
Defining the effects of diabetes on the body demonstrates the importance of the public health problem. Untreated diabetes can cause a wide range of complications, which increases health risks for people with diabetes and significantly affects their quality of life. Moreover, complications from diabetes are closely connected; for example, high blood pressure caused by increased blood sugar levels affects the functioning of the kidney, resulting in chronic kidney disease.
High blood pressure affects tissues and vessels in the eye, which causes blurred vision and gradual deterioration of vision in people with diabetes. Damage to blood vessels in the areas located further from the heart, such as feet, leads to infections, treatment of which may require amputation. At the same time, damage to blood vessels, nerves, and kidneys doubles the risks of stroke in people with diabetes when compared to people without diabetes. Therefore, the widespread effects of diabetes on the body and organs are explained by its close connection with the blood circularity system.
Treatment and Prevention
While the exact cause of diabetes remains unknown, the treatment focuses on restoring or supporting insulin production. In patients with type 1 diabetes, lifelong insulin treatment compensates for insulin deficiency. In people with T2DM, the combination of lifestyle changes and medications can help maintain normal blood sugar levels; however, insulin injections can be used when oral medication is insufficient or ineffective. Historically, the treatment of diabetes has focused on the use of herbal extracts and dietary interventions. Novel approaches to treating diabetes and its complications target the pathogenic mechanisms of the disease, such as normalizing the functioning of the β‐cells to restore insulin production.
However, while new, more effective diabetes treatment methods are still in development, preventive measures are critical in reducing further growth in diabetes incidence. Treatment of reversible pre-diabetes conditions includes lifestyle interventions, such as regular physical exercises, pharmacological interventions (metformin, thiazolidinediones), and bariatric surgery. Therefore, while there is no effective treatment option for diabetes, treatment of pre-diabetes presents the most effective solution to the problem.
Statistics
The National Diabetes Statistics Report states there are more than 37.3 million Americans with diabetes, which comprises 11.3 % of the nation’s population. According to the latest information, there are more than 573 million adults with diabetes worldwide. While it is impossible to define how many people contracted diabetes in one year, nearly 38% of the adult population is diagnosed with pre-diabetes, with minor gender differences.
Among adults aged 65 years and older, almost half (48.8%) are diagnosed with pre-diabetes. Vulnerable groups of the population, such as racial and ethnic minorities, face higher risks of developing diabetes due to a combination of economic and cultural factors in such elements as their diet. The connection with cultural and economic factors explains why diabetes is more prevalent in developing countries.
Other
Conclusion
The diabetes epidemic presents a significant public health problem in which environmental factors significantly contribute to the issue’s spread. While the exact mechanisms that cause insulin resistance are unknown, the most effective solution to the problem is diagnosing and treating prediabetes. With the development of research on diabetes treatment and the introduction of new technologies in research of diabetes causes, it will be possible to minimize the adverse effects of diabetes on patient health in the future.
Glossary
β‐cells (beta cells) – cells in the pancreas that produce insulin.
Blood glucose level (blood sugar level) – concentration of glucose in the blood.
Diabetes mellitus – a group of diseases characterized by high blood glucose levels.
Insulin – a hormone that allows the use of glucose as a source of energy.
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