Medical journal The Lancet has recently published a study which found that the number of adults living with diabetes has more than doubled since 1980, totaling 347 million adults worldwide, and 36 million adults in the U.S. alone.
Dr. Stephen Scott, director of the SSM Weight-Loss Institute, says that SSM has seen growing numbers of diabetes and prediabetes patients, specifically calling the rise of Type 2 diabetes “like an epidemic in our country.”
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The rise of Type 2 diabetes points to one of the most important factors in fighting the epidemic: understanding the different types of diabetes (1 and 2), as well as their causes, treatments, and risks.
Scott describes Type 1 as “an autoimmune disease in which the pancreas shuts down and produces no insulin,” most often diagnosed in young patients, some even before the teenage years. “It’s a lifelong disease controlled by taking insulin and significant lifestyle modifications,” says Scott. And although he mentions that new technologies are constantly springing up, he adds that many Type 1 patients end up with an insulin pump, which works to “mimic what the body would do naturally.”
Type 2 diabetes, the type with the biggest increase since 1980, arises from insulin resistance within the body, preventing cells from the uptake of necessary sugars for energy. And although it’s not the only cause, “the biggest cause is our increased obesity,” says Scott. “As the rate of obesity increases, so do the cases of diabetes.”
Those with Type 2 typically begin treatment with various oral medications; however, further treatment of Type 2 diabetes can produce optimistic results and potentially even a reversal of the disease in a fairly short time. “Weight loss by any method will improve insulin resistance,” Scott says. “A fairly small amount…even 10 pounds…can significantly improve diabetes. And the more weight you lose, the more of an improvement you’ll see.” This can come as a result of proper diet and exercise and also from weight-loss surgery. Those who meet the qualifications and undergo Gastric Bypass or Sleeve Gastrectomy surgeries often see “immediate improvement, often before significant weight loss,” with 80 percent of those patients seeing their diabetes resolved completely, says Scott.
Although there are different treatment methods for both types of diabetes, complications that can arise as a result of the disease are fairly similar, with problems that can occur in blood vessels and nerves, as well in as the eyes, kidneys, heart, and feet, often one of the first areas where diabetics will notice problems.
Scott also mentions fatigue and hunger as signs of diabetes, as well as feeling very thirsty and increased urination. Unusual weight loss can also be a sign in some cases. Overall, he says, “People just don’t feel well.”
Scott stresses that diabetes is “a serious disease, but a disease that the patient has a lot of control over.” He says that doctor visits and medications are important, but a healthy diet and exercise are not to be neglected. “There’s a lot of things that patients can do with their lifestyle,” he says of treating diabetes.
