According to the World Health Organization, approximately 422 million people worldwide suffer from diabetes, and approximately 1.5 million people die from the disease each year. Approximately one in 10 adults in Hong Kong suffer from the disease, making it the 11th leading cause of death in the city.
However, type 2 diabetes is also largely preventable and manageable, which is the focus of World Diabetes Day, which is celebrated on November 14 each year.
Here's what you need to know about diabetes and how to lower your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
1. What is diabetes?
The body breaks down most of the food we eat into sugar, or glucose, and releases it into the bloodstream. When blood sugar levels rise, the pancreas releases insulin, which uses blood sugar for energy into the body's cells.
When you have diabetes, your body either doesn't produce enough insulin (insulin deficiency) or doesn't use enough insulin (insulin resistance). When there is a lack of insulin or cells no longer respond to insulin, excess sugar remains in the bloodstream.
It can cause health problems such as heart disease, kidney disease, and vision loss.
2. There are two main types of diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is usually caused when the immune system attacks insulin-producing cells, causing insulin deficiency, says Hong Kong-based endocrinologist Dr. Wong Wai-hsiung.