Diabetes : The Common Chronic Disorders

Throughout the whole of the United Kingdom, between 2 and 3 of every 100 people have a

151,000 people below the age of 20 years have diabetes (CDC, 2009). There has been an

Diabetes is a disease where the body is unable to produce or use insulin effectively. Insulin is needed for proper storage and use of carbohydrates. Without it, blood sugar levels can become too high or too low, resulting in a diabetic emergency. It affects about 7.8% of the population. The incidence of diabetes is known to increase with age. It’s the leading cause of end-stage renal disease in the US, and is the primary cause of blindness and foot and leg amputation. It is known to cause neuropathy in up to 70% of diabetic patients. Individuals with diabetes are twice as likely to develop cardiovascular disease. There are two types of diabetes: Type 1 and Type 2.

This essay will focus on type 2 diabetes, which is becoming one of the fast growing chronic health conditions in the United Kingdom (UK). Approximately 700 people are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes each day in the UK (Diabetes Uk, (2014)a). It is costing the NHS about £10billion pounds each year to treat diabetes along with its complication and it is expected to rise in the next couple of years (Diabetes UK, (2014)b).

According to the United States Library of Medicine, diabetes is a disease that occurs when the body does not make or use insulin correctly, therefore causing fluctuating amounts of glucose in the blood. Diabetes is a disease that affects millions of adults and children from various cultures. According to the American Diabetes Association (2014), someone is diagnosed with diabetes every 19 seconds. The Center of Disease Control and Prevention most recent statistical report indicated there were 29.1 million adults and children affected by diabetes. Those numbers are astounding. Unfortunately, the American Diabetes Association (2014) estimates by year of 2050, one out of three adults will have diabetes. Therefore, it is imperative that adults take aggressive measures to prevent this disease. By the same token, diabetes diagnosed in children and adolescent is becoming more prevalent every day. The American Diabetes Association (2014) reported there were about 216, 00 children in the United States with diabetes. It is predicted that one out three children will be diagnosed with diabetes in their life. The statistics for both adults and children with diabetes are frightening; however, early detection can help lower the risk of developing the debilitating effects of diabetes.

The rate of diabetes in the United States is one of the highest compared to other developed countries. An estimate of 9.3% of the population have diabetes, of those with diabetes 27.8% have yet to be diagnosed (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2014). This means that approximately 8.1 million people are currently living with diabetes, but are unaware of it. As of 2012, 12.3% of people with diabetes were 20 years old or older, the largest population diagnosed with diabetes were adults 65 years old or older. 25.9% of this population lives with diabetes (CDC, 2014). On a national level, the CDC have launched initiatives that focus on prevention and disease management. The National Diabetes Prevention Program is an example of one such initiative. This program focuses on lifestyle changes,

According to the American Diabetes Association, more Americans die each year from diabetes than from AIDS and breast cancer combined. As a result, researchers have extensively studied the causes, treatments, and interventions for diabetes. Despite efforts to ameliorate its effects, diabetes remains a prevalent danger in society. In 2014, 7% of U.S. adults were living with diagnosed diabetes (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2016). In Louisiana that number was even higher - 10.4% of adults have been diagnosed with diabetes. Breaking it down by age group, however, in Louisiana 3% of people aged 18 and 44 have been diagnosed, and 15.2% of people 45-64. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2015a). Several studies have predicted future rates of diabetes both in the United States and worldwide - nearly all of these studies reached a similar conclusion: rates of diabetes will continue to rise (Boyle et al., 2001).

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a pandemic that affects millions of people. The growth rate of unrecognized pre-diabetes in America is expected to rise up to 52% by 2020 (Lorenzo, 2013). As the prevalence of diabetes increases, so will the complications and burden of the disease. One of the leading causes for cardiovascular disease, renal failure, nontraumatic lower limb amputations, stroke, and new cases of blindness is DM (Lorenzo, 2013).

All throughout History, the condition of Diabetes has been recorded and studied, while producing minimal results. Relative to the span of around 3,500 years, Diabetes has been known to be a distinct medical condition, while causes not to be discovered until generally the early 20th century (Brar). On average, around 2000+ people are diagnosed with Diabetes every day. Around 800,000 people are diagnosed with Diabetes every year. People who have Diabetes are generally encouraged to exercise and must eat from a specific diet. Exercises mostly include aerobics and balanced insulin levels with other exercise techniques (Kelly).

Diabetes mellitus has a worldwide prevalence of 8.3 percent of the population with the amount of new cases diagnosed per year

According to the American Diabetes Association (2016), more Americans die each year from diabetes than from AIDS and breast cancer combined. As a result, researchers have extensively studied the causes, treatments, and interventions for diabetes. Despite efforts to ameliorate its effects, diabetes remains a prevalent danger in society. In 2014, 7% of U.S. adults were living with diagnosed diabetes (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2016). In Louisiana that number was even higher - 10.4% of adults have been diagnosed with diabetes. Breaking it down by age group, however, in Louisiana 3% of people aged 18 and 44 have been diagnosed, and 15.2% of people 45-64. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2015a). Several studies have predicted future rates of diabetes, both in the United States and worldwide - nearly all of these studies reached a similar conclusion: rates of diabetes will continue to rise (Boyle et al., 2001).

Diabetes represents one of the most challenging public health problems of the 21st century and is reaching epidemic levels globally. Nevertheless, it remains seriously under-reported, partly because many people with Type 2 diabetes do not realise they have it (International Diabetes Federation, 2008). Diabetes is therefore one of Australia’s leading issues of concern. Type 2 diabetes was declared a national health priority by the Federal Government in 1997. Type 2 diabetes is costing Australia at least 6 billion dollars per annum. This excessive amount is not only costs the government, but the individual as well. It costs the individual $4,025- $9,645 per annum (Baker IDI Heart & Diabetes institute,

Diabetes is a common chronic disease that causes problems in the way the blood uses food. The inability of the body to transform the sugar into energy is called diabetes. Glucose, a simple sugar, is the primary source of fuel for our bodies. When food is digested, some of the food will be converted into glucose which is then transferred from the blood into the cells however, insulin, which is produced by beta cells in the pancreas is needed. In individuals with diabetes, this process is impaired.

The World Health Organisation (WHO, 2016) reports diabetes mellitus (DM) around the world has risen from 108 million in 1980 to 422 million in 2014. The global prevalence over the age of 18 has risen from 4.7% in 1980 to 8.5% in 2014. The number of new cases in 2012 for people over the age of twenty in America was 1.7 million, and 29.1 million of the population living with diabetes and 27.8% undiagnosed (National Diabetes Statistics Report 2014, Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, 2015). That is 1 in 11 of the world’s population who are living with diabetes and 47% of adults undiagnosed (Diabetes Australia, 2015). According to self-reported data, (Australian Bureau of Statistics ABS 2011/2012) survey has been used to estimate the national prevalence of type II diabetes in Australia. An estimated 849,000 Australians over the age of eighteen, self-reported that they had type II diabetes, this corresponds for 5% of the Australian adult population. The prevalence of type II among Australian adults was higher in men (5%) more than women (4%) and the rate of diabetes increases with age. The incidence in Australia, (The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2014) has stated that there is no reliable national data available to estimate the overall incidence of diabetes mellitus. It is difficult to capture as many new cases are recorded after the condition has started, remained undiagnosed or they do not require insulin

Living a healthy and well-balanced life is a goal for many people. There are 5 different categories that influence our health: gestational endowment, social circumstances, environmental conditions, human behavior, and medical care. Taking these categories into consideration, there are also other diseases and medical conditions that will also influence your quality of life. Diabetes is one of the important topics discussed in Healthy People 2020. Diabetes is a health condition that may cause one to be at great risk for heart disease and stroke. It is a metabolic disease in which the pancreas produces little to no insulin or insulin is not used properly. Severe cases of diabetes can lead to blindness, kidney failure, heart disease, stroke, adult-onset blindness, and amputation. Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Diabetes affects about 23.6 million people in the United States. It can lowers the life expectancy by 15 years along with increasing the risk for heart disease by 2-4 times. The cost to treat diabetes is also expensive. In 2007, the estimated financial cost was around $174 billion in just the United States alone.