World Diabetes Day

The World Diabetes Day aims to raise awareness of diabetes, one of the most common diseases in the world.

What is diabetes mellitus?

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease in which the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or the body cannot use the insulin it produces effectively.

In Ukraine, this disease is the third most common after cardiovascular disease and cancer, and its course is often asymptomatic, which makes diagnosis and treatment very difficult, meaning that the scale of the disease can be many times greater. According to the Ministry of Health, 531,200 Ukrainians were diagnosed with diabetes in 2023. For more details, please follow the link: https://moz.gov.ua/uk/u-piv-miljona-ukrainciv-diagnostovano-cukrovij-diabet-u-2023-roci.

What types of diabetes are there?

• Type 1 diabetes (insulin-dependent) - develops when the immune system attacks and destroys insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. People with this type of pathology need daily injections of the hormone to maintain normal blood glucose levels.
• Type 2 diabetes is caused by inefficient use of insulin by the body. It is often the result of being overweight and lack of physical activity. Symptoms can be less pronounced, and therefore the disease is usually diagnosed several years after its onset, after complications have already occurred. This is the most common type of diabetes.
• Gestational diabetes is diagnosed during pregnancy. Although it can be observed for some time after the birth of a child.

Common symptoms of diabetes mellitus: excessive urination (polyuria), thirst (polydipsia), constant hunger, weight loss, changes in vision and fatigue. Over time, diabetes can cause serious damage to the heart, blood vessels, eyes, kidneys and nerves. If you observe such changes in your body for a long time, contact your family doctor for further diagnosis.

Tips for the prevention of diabetes:

• Maintain a healthy diet - withReduce the amount of sugar and saturated fat in your diet and increase your intake of fibre, such as vegetables and fruit.
• Watch your weight Keep your body weight within the normal range of other body parameters. If you are obese or overweight, your risk of developing diabetes increases by more than 50%.
• Be physically active - Physical activity can help you lose weight, lower blood sugar levels, and increase insulin sensitivity. It can be outdoor exercises, a fitness programme, etc.
• Refrain from smoking and alcohol abuse. Smoking can lead to high blood sugar and insulin resistance. The more you smoke, the greater your risk of diabetes. Excessive alcohol consumption also affects the risk of developing the disease.
• Keep an eye on your blood glucose levels. Regularly checking your blood sugar levels helps you track why your blood sugar is rising or falling.
• See a doctor in time. If your condition worsens or symptoms persist, do not hesitate to visit your family doctor.

Remember, you can control your health! A healthy lifestyle, exercise, and proper nutrition will allow you to live a full life.

You can assess your risk of developing type 2 diabetes and take an online test here: https://diabetes-site.phc.org.ua/

https://phc.org.ua/news/14-listopada-vsesvitniy-den-borotbi-z-cukrovim-diabetom-vse-scho-potribno-znati-pro-girku;

https://moz.gov.ua/uk/vsesvitnij-den-borotbi-z-cukrovim-diabetom-scho-treba-znati-pro-diabet;

https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes

V. Podavalenko, municipal hygiene doctor at the VNSEP