Diabetes affects 820,000 people in Andalusia

The number of people suffering from diabetes has increased in recent years, especially in developing countries.In this way, pathology affects 8.5% of the adult world population.If compared to the results obtained by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1980, where 4.7% of citizens suffered from diabetes, you can see the growth that the disease has suffered.

To know the degree of implementation that diabetes has in Andalusia, the Ministry of Health of the Autonomous Community made a balance on the situation of the disease in 2015. With this research it has been observed how in the passing year there were 625,000 diabetics in Andalusia.“The indicators have improved, showing a decrease in both their complications and their mortality during this period.In addition, the data places Andalusia below the national rate ”, highlights the Ministry.

It is a chronic disease that, as the WHO points out, appears when the pancreas does not produce sufficient insulin or when the organism does not effectively use the insulin it produces."The effect of not controlled diabetes is hyperglycemia (increased blood sugar), which eventually damages many organs and systems, especially nerves and blood vessels," adds the organization.

There are two types of diabetes.Type 1 diabetes is characterized by poor insulin production and requires the daily administration of this hormone.At the moment its causes are not known and it cannot be prevented.On the other hand is type 2 diabetes, which represents 90% of world cases and is due to an ineffective use of insulin due, in most cases, to excessive body weight and physical inactivity.

This second type has a "simple" treatment, according to WHO: "To prevent it, a healthy body weight must be maintained, perform at least 30 minutes of physical activity, have a balanced diet and avoid tobacco consumption."

In this way, this disease shown for the World Health Organization as the seventh cause of mortality in 2030 could be prevented with an early diagnosis and a simple treatment based on a healthy and balanced life.