By Casey Gionet, Alyssa Vriens, and Belinda Ham
ABOUT TYPE 2 DIABETES
Diabetes Mellitus type 2, often known as adult-onset diabetes is a chronic disorder that affects how your body metabolizes sugar. When you have type 2 diabetes, your body either resists the effects of the insulin produced, or your body doesn't produce enough insulin. Normal blood sugar levels are 4-6 mmol/L
Statistics
Impact of Diabetes
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Diabetes complications are associated with premature death. Diabetes reduces lifespan by 5–15 years. It is estimated that one of ten deaths in Canadian adults was attributable to diabetes in 2008–2009
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Diabetes contributes to 30% of strokes, 40% of heart attacks, 50% of kidney failure requiring dialysis, and 70% of non-traumatic lower limb amputations2 and is a leading cause of vision loss.
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Twenty-five per cent (25%) of Canadians with diabetes indicated their treatment adherence was affected by cost. The majority of Canadians with diabetes pay more than 3% of their income or over $1,500 per year for needed medications, devices and supplies out of their own pocket.
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2006 to 2016: estimated increase in diabetes prevalence = 72%
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Cost of diabetes to health-care system $3.4 billion
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Some populations are at higher risk of type 2 diabetes, such as those of South Asian, Asian, African, Hispanic or Aboriginal descent, those who are overweight, older or have low income. Diabetes rates are 3–5 times higher in First Nations than in the general population, a situation compounded by barriers to care for Indigenous Peoples
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Contracting Type 2 Diabetes in your 40’s means five to 15 years off your average life expectancy. As Heart Disease is the leading cause of death in Type 2 sufferers, keeping to a regime that minimizes the risk is very much recommended.