Diabetes is an increasingly common condition that affects millions of people around the world. While it’s important to understand the basics, there are some lesser known facts about diabetes that you should be aware of. In this blog post, we’ll share 10 fascinating facts about diabetes that you may not have heard before!
- Diabetes can affect your hearing. Studies show that people with diabetes are more likely to experience a decline in their hearing than those who do not have diabetes. This is thought to be due to high blood sugar levels damaging the nerves in your ears.
- There are two different types of diabetes: Type 1 and Type 2. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disorder where the body does not produce enough insulin and requires daily injections or use of an insulin pump. Type 2 diabetes is caused by lifestyle factors and can sometimes be managed through diet, exercise, and medication alone.
- Women are more likely to develop gestational diabetes during pregnancy than men are. Gestational diabetes occurs when pregnant women have higher levels of glucose in their blood than normal levels and can lead to complications for both mother and baby if left untreated.
- Diabetes increases your risk for certain cancers, including colorectal cancer, pancreatic cancer, bladder cancer, endometrial cancer, kidney cancer, ovarian cancer, liver cancer, gastric cancer and melanoma skin cancer.
- People with type 1 diabetes may experience diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). DKA occurs when there isn’t enough insulin in your body causing a buildup of ketones which can become toxic if left untreated and cause life threatening conditions such as coma or death.
- People with type 2 diabetes may develop microvascular complications such as retinopathy or nephropathy which can lead to vision loss or kidney failure respectively if left untreated.
- Diabetes is one of the leading causes of death worldwide with approximately 4 million deaths each year attributed to it directly or indirectly due to complications related to the disease such as stroke or heart attack.
- There are over 400 million people living with diabetes globally.
- The global economic costs associated with managing type 2 diabetes were estimated at $827 billion in 2017.
- It’s estimated that by 2045 there will be 629 million people living with diabetes worldwide.
From these fascinating facts about diabetes we can see just how serious a condition it is and how important it is for everyone—especially those at risk—to understand the risks associated with it so they can take steps to reduce their chances of developing this serious health issue!
If you think you might be at risk for developing type 1 or type 2 diabetes then make sure you speak with your doctor as soon as possible so they can assess your situation properly and help provide guidance on how best to manage your health going forward!