Type II Diabetes - Essay Example

?Introduction Type II diabetes is a health complication whereby the body produces sufficient insulin but fails to utilize it properly, a condition known as insulin resistance (Schnitzer, 2002). This is as opposed to type I diabetes which results from low production of insulin in the body such that the body has to be supplemented with synthetic insulin. Insulin is a hormone which is important in controlling and regulating the amount of sugar in the blood as it facilitates the absorption of glucose by cells in the liver, muscles as well as fat tissue, after which it is converted and stored by the liver in form of glycogen. If this process does not occur, then the blood sugar rises beyond the desired amount, which is 160 mg/dl on the upper limit (Macleod, 2007). Until recently, type II diabetes was considered to be a disease for the adults but current trends have shown that even children are at the risk of acquiring it thanks to poor lifestyles, which have culminated into numerous cases of childhood obesity. This paper will discuss type II diabetes, its causes and effects as well as its prevalence rate among other related issues. Type II Diabetes Type II diabetes is considered to be the most prevalent among the various types of diabetes that we have such as type 1 and gestational diabetes. This is due to the fact out of the approximated figure of 220 million people suffering from diabetes worldwide, 90% are said to be suffering from this type II diabetes (Zimmet, 2009). It is sad to note that a lot of people continue to lose their lives as a result of diabetes, which, according to health experts, is a disease that is mostly reliant on our lifestyle and therefore is preventable. It is estimated that in the year 2004, 3.4 million patients lost their lives and to make matters worse, statistics indicate that the rate of deaths will have doubled in the period between 2005 and 2030. Currently, it is estimated that 285 million i.e. 6.4 of the world’s adult population, people are living with diabetes but by the year 2030, the number will have risen to approximately 440 million, which means that there is a lot to be done in all the health sectors (Zimmet, 2009). However, it is important to note that middle and low income countries are the worst affected by deaths resulting from diabetes as they contribute approximately 80% to the world statistics. For example, India is believed to have the highest number of diabetic cases with approximately 51 million patients, followed by China with more than 43 million patients (Takrouri, 2007). This can be attributed to poverty, which makes it difficult for people to access medical services in terms of regular checkups so as to perform early diagnoses. Most people in these regions will find it necessary to visit a doctor when the condition has already become chronic and therefore more difficult to treat. This is made worse by the fact that type II diabetes is not easily detectable as it is considered as not having obvious symptoms in its early stages, which makes it almost impossible for someone to suspect that he or she is suffering from the disease. In fact, research indicates that a person can live with the disease for as long as 10 years or more without knowing (Chase, 2002). There are various symptoms which when observed, a person should take the step of consulting a doctor so as to confirm whether he or she is ill or not. These are for example frequent urination also known as polyuria, fatigue, increased hunger and thirst as well as unintended weight loss. Polyuria in this context results from high concentration of glucose in the blood, which triggers the flow of water from the cells through osmosis and into the bloodstream, in an effort to create a point of equilibrium (Elaine, 2007). Consequently, the water in the bloodstream increases and as a result, the kidney is forced to react by ejecting it out as urine and the cycle continues. By so doing, it means that a lot of water is discharged from the body unnecessarily and therefore, the patient becomes increasingly thirsty due to the need to replenish the water in the body system. It is important to note that the body in general requires huge amount of water for carrying out other purposes such as removal of toxic wastes, facilitating digestion, shielding body joints from shock and regulation of body temperature among others (Elaine, 2007). As mentioned earlier, type II diabetes results from insulin resistance. This means that body organs and muscles are denied constant supply of glucose, which is utilized in the production of energy to sustain the body while conducting day to day chores (Deborah, 2000). As a result, the body is forced to utilize alternative sources of energy such as body fats and muscles whereas the glucose is disposed off as urine. When this persists for long, the patient begins to exhibit accelerated loss of weight irrespective of the high amount of food intake that a patient may have. Other symptoms that can make one suspicious include blurred vision, which occurs after the high levels of glucose in the blood stream necessitates drawing water from cells, which may affect the eye lenses. A patient may also experience slow healing of wounds as well as acanthosis nigricans, which is the darkening and creasing of certain parts of the skin such as below the armpits or the skin surrounding the neck (Dugas, 2009). Type II diabetes is considered to be caused mainly by poor lifestyle and genetic complications as well as medical disorders (Whitaker, 2000). With regard to lifestyle, it is observable that the modern man has in the past disregarded the importance of monitoring the type of foods he feeds on. It is a common to find that most people depend highly on foods that do not fit in the category of balanced diet. For example, many especially those working have limited time or finances to go into a restaurant and treat their selves to a healthy fibre rich diet. Instead, they depend on snacks such as hamburgers, sandwich among other fast foods which contain high levels of carbohydrates. In addition, it may be observed that after spending a whole day in the office or in their work places, these people go to bars and night clubs either to enjoy or to catch up with old friends. This becomes a routine such that it makes it impossible for them to remember the importance of conducting regular exercises. Vigorous physical activity such as jogging, cycling, weight lifting and aerobics among others, enhances the reduction of body fats, which are burned up in the process. This reduces the chances of one becoming obese and also eliminates risk factors such as being overweight as well as hypertension among others, which contribute to type II diabetes (Whitaker, 2000). Obesity is considered to be one of the major risk factors that may cause a person to acquire diabetes as it facilitates insulin resistance (Chase, 2002). A person is considered to be obese if his or her body mass index (BMI) is 30 and above. Such a person is said to have a high level of adiposity or body fat, which is credited with the increased production of serum resistin, which has a high correlation to insulin resistance in obese people thus resulting to type II diabetes (Elaine, 2007). In a country such as Saudi Arabia, obesity has become a major health dilemma especially in women. According to statistics, it is estimated that 69% of its citizens are either obese or are in the overweight category, making the country rank 29th in what scholars call world’s fattest countries. The rate of obesity in women is relatively higher at 66% against 55% in men. However, this can be attributed to religious beliefs and doctrines, which prohibit women from exercising away from their homes (Alqurashi, 2011). In this context, it is argued that for a woman to exercise, she has to remove her robe and change into lighter clothing, which according to the society is a recipe for atrocities such as lesbianism. It is believed that disrobing in the presence of other women may create sexual attraction as they watch their partners undress. These beliefs have become a major threat to the health of these women and the society in general especially due to the fact that citizens in this country have embraced technology such that manual jobs are reserved mostly for Asians. A study conducted in 2011 on the prevalence of diabetes among the Saudi Arabians concluded that persons with >=30 but less than 35 BMI had the highest probability of acquiring the disease followed by the overweight i.e. those with a BMI between 25 and 30 (Alqurashi, 2011). On the other hand, those with average BMI exhibited low probabilities of having type II diabetes. The results were represented in a graph as shown below: Figure 1: Alqurashi, K. (2011). ‘Prevalence of Diabetes Mellitus in a Saudi Community’ From the above graphical representation covering a sample size of 6024 persons, it is true to say that more efforts, by the government as well as individuals, should be made to enlighten the public on the need to control obesity. The perception that women’s involvement in physical activity is sinful should be challenged at all levels as they have a right to lead a healthy life. In fact, compulsory physical education should be introduced in schools and colleges and supported enough so as to reduce cases of childhood obesity and obesity among the youth. People should also avoid overdependence on fast foods and instead embrace the culture of ensuring that the food they eat is free of cholesterol and rich in fibre among other components of a healthy diet (Whitaker, 2000). Besides obesity, type II diabetes can also be acquired through genetic inheritance. This implies that a person may have high chances of acquiring the condition if someone in his or her family lineage had diabetes. According to research, it has emerged that some communities and families exhibit genetic mutation which increases the prevalence rates in them as compared to others. For example, it has been noted that a mutation in the Beta3-Adrenergic Receptor Gene is more prevalent in communities such as the Pima Indians, Mexicans and those of African origin as compared to people of the European descent (Lowe, 2001). According to Lowe (2001), this gene is involved in influencing BMR i.e. basal metabolic rate, which is the amount of energy the body spends while resting. However, a mutation may occur in form of Trp64Arg, which leads to low metabolism thereby creating a tendency for these people to become more obese thereby increasing their probability of acquiring type II diabetes, also considering other environmental factors. It is therefore necessary for people under this risk facto to ensure constant health checkups, probably after every three years, to confirm their status. However, it is apparent that this subject requires more extensive research to establish fully the role of genetics in influencing type II diabetes. Diabetes is a condition which exposes patients to numerous health complications and damage especially to vital body organs. According to Dugas (2009), diabetes is a major cause of blindness for people who have lived with the disease for 10 years and above. Over this time, the blood circulation in retina part of the eye is weakened as arteries become ineffective, which necessitates the quick development of new but fragile arteries to support the circulation of oxygen. However, these do not sustain the process for long as they end up haemorrhaging causing blood to leak into the retina. If this process continues for long without treatment, retinal detachment occurs thereby resulting to blindness. In this context, the condition is normally referred to as diabetic retinopathy, which according to Zimmet (2009), is 80% preventable if it is detected in the earliest time possible. It is therefore advisable for diabetic patients to ensure constant eye checkups not forgetting that type II diabetes takes long before symptoms begin to show so no one is safe unless confirmation is done that they are free of diabetes. Diabetic neuropathy is also a major long term complication for people living with diabetes (Boulton, 2009). This is a condition which occurs as a result of high levels of glucose in the blood, which results to destruction of nerves. It is important to note that the nerves are responsible for responses that one makes towards stimuli such as pain. Their damage therefore means that a patient may suffer from serious injuries without him or her realizing it. This coupled with poor blood circulation in the extreme organs such as the feet causes such injuries to take a long time without healing. This has been classified as the major cause of amputation in diabetic patients. In the UK for example, amputations as a result of diabetes rank second with more than 65% of patients losing their lives less than 5 years after the operation (Boulton, 2009). However, health experts indicate that these can be reduced significantly if patients become more careful for example by wearing protective gear while conducting their daily chores as well as having regular medical checkups. Conclusion Type II diabetes is the most prevalent world wide, having 90% prevalence rate over type I diabetes. The major cause of this condition is insulin resistance, whereby the body produces sufficient insulin but it is not utilized maximally causing homeostatic imbalance. Insulin ensures that glucose in the bloodstream is regulated constantly by converting it to glycogen which is stored in the liver for future production of energy. Other causes include obesity, which acts as a risk factor which facilitates the production of serum resistin, which inhibits proper functioning of insulin. Obesity is defined by calculating the body mass index which must be below 30 for a person not to be considered as obese and below 25 to avoid being overweight. In Saudi Arabia, obesity has been proved through statistics to be highly correlated with prevalence of type II diabetes, a factor which is fuelled by retrogressive social beliefs dictating unhealthy lifestyle especially in women. The condition can also be acquired through genetic inheritance, whereby one is more exposed to the risk if his or her family or community has a high prevalence of Beta3-Adrenergic Receptor Gene mutation. Some of the long term complications of type II diabetes include and not limited to diabetic retinopathy and diabetic neuropathy, leading to loss of sight and response to stimuli respectively. Bibliography Alqurashi, K. (2011). ‘Prevalence of Diabetes Mellitus in a Saudi Community.’ Annals of Saudi Medicine vol.1 (31): 19-23 Boulton, A. (2009). Diabetic Neuropathy, Oxford University Press Chase, P. (2002). Understanding Diabetes, Diabetes Foundation Deborah, S. (2000). Syndrome X: Managing Insulin Resistance, HarperTorch Dugas, L. (2009). ‘Diabetes Complications.’ Journal of Diabetes and its Complications, vol. 24(6): 360-432 Elaine N. (2007). Human Anatomy & Physiology, Pearson. Lowe, W. (2001). Genetics of Diabetes mellitus, Warner Books Macleod, H. (2007). ‘Abnormalities of Blood-Sugar,’ British Journal of Dermatology, Vol. 37(9): 347–400 Schnitzer, J. (2002). Diabetes Causes & Cure, Schnitzer, Takrouri, M. (2007). ‘Diabetes Mellitus is a Global Problem.’ The International Journal of Health. Vol. 6 (1): 100-115 Whitaker, J. (2000). Reversing Diabetes, Warner Books Zimmet, P. (2009). ‘The High Prevalence of Diabetes Mellitus, Impaired Glucose Tolerance and Diabetic Retinopathy.’ Diabetes Research, vol.1 (13): 10-25 Read More