Vision, Skin, and Diabetes Are Middle-Aged Concerns Essay

In 2012, 8.1 million of the 29.1 million with diabetes did not know that they had diabetes, and around a quarter of senior citizens have become diagnosed with diabetes in America. An estimated 86 million Americans were diagnosed with prediabetes, which is a condition that diabetes looms from ("Statistics About Diabetes"). The growing number of individuals with diabetes must be stopped. One should be concerned about this disease because there is no cure, and it can affect one’s lifetime. The harm that can be caused from diabetes should be taken with seriousness, because it can result in heart disease or high blood

Type 2 diabetes is originated from Obesity. Having the third highest rate of Obesity in my community, it is likely that majority of obese people will be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Society makes it easy for us to be overweight, advertising many of the wrong foods and many of the fast food restaurants we tend to be surrounded by which Is why it’s not an easy option for those trying to prevent type 2 diabetes. There are many complications with type 2 diabetes. It affects many organs including the heart, organ, blood, vessels and nerves, eyes and kidneys. It is an issue because it increases the risks of heart and blood vessel diseases, nerve damages, Kidney damages, eye damages, foot damages, hearing impairment, skin conditions etc. Many symptoms gained

Originally only effecting people in their mid to late 30’s the rise in type 2 diabetes has steadily grown and people younger 30 are starting to develop the disease, many say that this can be brought back to the increase in sugar consumption. Although many studies show that it is not the only cause there is a correlation with excessive sugar consumption and diabetes. Many sugary foods also have a high fat content and this means when consumed in large quantities people are more likely to gain weight and therefore develop diabetes. Diabetes is a condition where the body can no longer regulate the amount of glucose in the blood leading the dangerously high amounts staying in the blood stream. This is caused by an inefficient supply of insulin, either the pancreas can’t make enough which is vital for maintaining glucose levels. Because insulin is vital in the metabolic break down of glucose, the lack of insulin means blood sugar rises which over a long period time leads to major health problems, these include; diabetic foot, damage to blood vessels, high blood pressure, kidney failure, nerve problems and visual impairments. These all cause severe physical pain to the patient and can lead to many other problems such as depression, anxiety, low self-esteem and other social emotional effects. This can sometimes mean that they do not want to take the steps needed to maintain a healthy lifestyle while living with type 2 diabetes, meaning the cycle continues and their health to

People are diagnosed with pre- diabetes when blood glucose levels are abnormally high but not high enough to be classified as type 2 diabetes. Therefore, those diagnosed with pre- diabetes have an increased risk for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease if they do not take initiative in a healthier lifestyle and being more physically active. Pre- diabetes are mostly found in overweight people in general, especially those who are not physically active, have previous identification of impaired glucose tolerance, have a family history of diabetes or cardiovascular disease, and have elevated blood

In the case of Type 1 diabetes, those factors are family history and issues with the pancreas. If a person’s family has a history of having Type 1 diabetes, that person’s risk of getting Type 1 diabetes increases. In terms of the pancreas, having diseases of the pancreas can slow the pancreas’s ability to make insulin. Some infections and illnesses can damage the pancreas as well. In the case of Type 2 diabetes, risk factors include age, race, sex, family history, and health. Similar to Type 1 diabetes, if a person’s family has a history of having Type 2 diabetes, that person’s risk of getting Type 2 diabetes increases. The older the person is, the higher the risk he or she has of getting Type 2 diabetes. The risk increases particularly around age 45. Additionally, African Americans, Mexican Americans, American Indians, Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, and Asian Americans have a high risk of Type 2 diabetes. Furthermore, men are more likely to get Type 2 diabetes than women. Health is a major factor in the onset of Type 2 diabetes. Overweight and obese individuals have a higher risk of getting Type 2 diabetes. People with high blood pressure (over 140/90 in adults and over 120/80 in children) are also at increased risk of getting Type 2 diabetes. A person with low levels of HDL, which is under 35 mg/dL, or a person with high levels of triglyceride, which is over 250 mg/dL, has a higher chance of getting Type 2 diabetes as well. Additionally, someone with impaired glucose tolerance has a very strong chance of being afflicted with Type 2

Type 2 can be developed at any given age; however, it occurs most often in middle-aged and elderly people. Age is a huge indication of being at risk for this type, especially if you are over the age of 45, but is also dependent on other factors such as family history, obesity, genes, family history, and physical activity. According to the American Diabetes Association, “About 95 percent of cases in adults are type 2 diabetes”. Also, it has been shown that if one has gestational diabetes while pregnant, developing type 2 diabetes is more likely. More and more cases of not only diabetes but type 2 cases are being discovered each day. (“Diabetes Overview”, n.d.)

“A major concern at this time is the rapid climb in incidence of Type 2 diabetes, with prevalence now estimated at about 9% (18 million) of the population greater than 20 years of age.” Obesity and Type 2 diabetes are commonly associated (Gould & Dyer, 2011). In addition to the two types of diabetes, there are signs and symptoms that are easily detected and some that develop after diagnosis.

As you age, body changes start taking place. Unfortunately, you cannot stop those changes. For example, the skin becomes less elastic and more wrinkled. Oil glands slow down, therefore, making skin drier. Vision becomes affected as well, it is normal for night vision and visual sharpness to decline. Hearing loss also occurs with aging. Sleep

Hypertension is common in diabetes and is a recognized risk factor for cardiovascular disease as well as the progression of diabetic retinopathy and nephropathy. Early detection and treatment can reduce chance of diabetes. Lifestyle changes that are aimed at weight reduction will help lower blood pressure and increase insulin sensitivity; pharmacological intervention can aid control of hypertension. Evidence also accumulating to show that smoking is associated with an increased incidence of vascular disease in Type 2 diabetes.

The risk factors of pre diabetes are weight, age, family history, inadequate sleep, inactivity, and metabolic syndrome. The primary risk factor is weight because the more weight you gain the higher possibility of fat accumulation especially in the abdominal area. This can result to insulin resistance by the cells. Another risk factor is age which is connected to inactivity. People tend to be inactive as they start to reach the age of 45. Lesser activities mean lesser ways to use the glucose as energy. Family history is also an important factor because borderline diabetes can be inherited and the incidence of occurrence is higher to persons with parents and other family members who have the same

The prevalence of age related health problems is becoming an essential public health concern because the proportion of older individuals groups in population worldwide grows. (World Health Organization; 2008)

Although the aging process can be seen visibly, transformations from early though late adulthood can be more easily explained and accepted through the changes in physical, cognitive and emotional changes that every human will inevitably encounter.

As the body ages into middle adulthood which is forties to sixties other physical changes take place. Physical change become noticeable, disease becomes more prevalent, reaction time slows, eyesight diminishes, height begins to slowly decline, and menopause occurs in women and the male reproductive system starts to slowly change. In late adulthood which is sixties and beyond, height continues to decline, the senses continue their gradual decline and become more noticeable, bone diseases, cancer, cardiovascular diseases become prevalent and dementia eventually affects a large proportion of adults. Under normal conditions a person cannot be prevented from experiencing predetermined physical changes (Mossler, 2013). Another aspect that changes with aging is cognitive development.

The risk factors for type 2 diabetes include weight, inactivity, family history, race, age, gestational diabetes, polycystic ovary syndrome, high blood pressure, and abnormal cholesterol and triglyceride levels. ("Diabetes Risk factors - Mayo Clinic," n.d.)

The prevalence of diabetes increases with age. Approximately 21% of older adults aged 60 years in the United States have diabetes. According to CDC, from 1980 through 2011, the rate of diagnosed diabetes increased 167% for people aged 0-44 years, 118% for those aged 45-64 years, 140% (9.1% to 21.8%) for those aged 65-74 years, and 125% (8.9% to 20.0%) for those aged 75 years and older. In general, throughout the time period, the rate of diagnosed diabetes increased among people of all age groups. In 2011, the prevalence of diabetes among people aged 65-74 (21.8%) was more than 13 times that of people younger than 45 years of age (1.6%).