Understanding Diabetes: A Comprehensive Feature Report on Diabetes

This report focuses on the global diabetes crisis, highlighting its increasing prevalence and impact on both older and younger populations. It references the World Health Organization's definition of diabetes, distinguishing between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, and presents statistics from various countries, including Britain, India, and Singapore. The report emphasizes the lack of early symptoms and the importance of lifestyle changes, diet, and regular medical intervention. It includes interviews with individuals affected by diabetes and insights from a specialist, discussing the role of unhealthy lifestyles in the rise of diabetes. The report also mentions governmental initiatives and global targets for diabetes prevention, concluding with a call for united efforts to combat the disease. References and an appendix with an image of an interview consent form are included.

Running head: FEATURE ABOUT DIABETES
FEATURE ABOUT DIABETES
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author note:

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Headline- Diabetes is here! These accounts of some sufferers may help you in taking
precautions.
Diabetes is such a disease which does not show much symptoms. Therefore, the people
affected by it may be unaware about its presence till the time when the disease takes a really
serious form. The Prime Minister of Singapore Mr. Lee Hsien Loong has very relevantly taken
up the issue on a serious note on the National Day Rally Speech. The Prime Minister was quoted
as saying “You may not think that diabetes is a major problem, but in fact, it is very serious in
Singapore, particularly so for older people but increasingly for younger Singaporeans. The Prime
Minister quite rightly took up the issue as diabetes is becoming a serious problem throughout the
globe, and not just the people of advanced age, but also the younger generation are facing the
threat.
World Health Orgnisation defines diabetes as “Diabetes is a chronic, metabolic disease
characterized by elevated levels of blood glucose (or blood sugar), which leads over time to
serious damage to the heart, blood vessels, eyes, kidneys, and nerves. The most common is type
2 diabetes, usually in adults, which occurs when the body becomes resistant to insulin or doesn't
make enough insulin. In the past three decades the prevalence of type 2 diabetes has risen
dramatically in countries of all income levels. Type 1 diabetes, once known as juvenile diabetes
or insulin-dependent diabetes, is a chronic condition in which the pancreas produces little or no
insulin by itself.” (Who.int, 2018)
In Britain recent reports have suggested that the number of people with diabetes have
increased dramatically and the numbers have become double in the past 20 years. The present
approximate number of people who have diabetes and living in Britain is around 3.7 to 3.8
billion (Straitstimes.com, 2018). This data is published by an organization called “Diabetes UK”

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which is a charitable trust for the purpose of reducing the effect of the disease. The reason
because diabetes does not show any kind of symptoms in the beginning stage therefore early
intervention in the disease is often not possible. The patients affected by the disease themselves
do not know that they have been affected. The two kinds of\f diabetes that are found are type 1
diabetes and type 2 diabetes, in the first case there is lack of insulin production in the Pancreas
and in the 2nd case the produced Insulin is not utilized by the body properly.
In India as well the diabetes scenario is quite grim. The country’s 6 percent population is
critically suffering from diabetes and the number involves more than 1.3 million people. The
data was published Journal of the American Medical Association (Jama) Internal Medicine
(Straitstimes.com, 2018). However, the rates are not as staggering as in United States and China.
The uncontrolled life of the people in India which includes high rate of alcoholism, tobacco use,
eating oil and sugar rich food, and lack of access to quality health products are some of the
factors behind such rise.
In Singapore, the rate of diabetes is increasing at such a speed that the government
decided to take earliest actions to control it. It is decided that there will be an additional input of
15 million dollars which will be used to develop and manufacture low sugar level drinks and
food. It is decided that there will be a task force that will take care in reducing the number of
hand and leg amputation because of small wounds getting very serious and not getting healed
due to diabetes. This country has one of the highest rates of amputation cases among diabetes
patients and the ratio is 180 operations among every 100000 diabetic patients. The task force will
ensure that there is greater awareness about diabetes and what care should be taken by patients
who are already affected by the problem. "About three in four Singapore residents aged 65 and
above are affected by diabetes, high cholesterol or hypertension, or a combination of the three,"

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the Health Minister Gan Kim Yong was quoted as saying in the discussion on his ministry's
budget.
The Straits Times interviewed two patients who have been suffering of diabetes for a
long time and one expert who has been dealing with the disease in its most critical form.
Mrs. Wilson is 30 years’ old who is suffering from diabetes since last 2 years. In her case
she was lucky enough that the problem was diagnosed at an early stage and required medical
intervention helped in successfully containing the problem. When she was asked about the
problems she faces everyday some of the main problems she talked about was weakness,
inability in maintaining a normal diet, and poly-urea, among other problems. It is strange that a
lady of 30 years is affected by diabetes and many people would naturally think that it is an age
too early to be affected with such a complication.
However, there are cases that happen in even at earlier ages. John Benjamin who is just
25 years old is already diabetic and faces several complications including severe weaknesses. He
is lethargic to do any kind of tasks that include physical exertions. He was asked about the
medications he is going through. John told our representatives that the primary medicine in his
case is extreme precaution. A cautious lifestyle prevents further escalation of the disease. Apart
from that he has to go through regular medications. He has type 2 diabetes that can be controlled
by controlled diet and some minor medications. Patients with type 1 diabetes have to administer
insulin daily into their body to ensure that there is no shortage of insulin.
The Straits Times decided to consult a specialist who deals with diabetic patients daily so
that the problem can be known properly. Specialist Warren Lim emphatically stated that one of
the main reasons that has resulted in such situation where even the younger generation is affected

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by diabetes is because of uncontrolled lifestyle. “Today’s youth are leading a life that is very
unruly. They do not exercise. They eat lots of unhealthy food, which are mostly harmful for the
body. They indulge in activities like drinking, smoking and other forms of intoxication. The
young generations get very less sleep, and most of the time they are either sitting in front of the
computers or are looking into their phones. All this is taking a toll on the health of the young
generation. And diabetes is one of the main problems that arise out of such lifestyle”. When
asked about the preventive measures the expert pointed out “The main precautionary measure is
to alter your lifestyle. The food habits must be controlled. Less calorie food with lesser amount
of sugar in them needs to be consumed. One must make sure that most part of the diet is
composed of fruits and vegetables. Apart from that the youth must indulge in alcoholism and
smoking as less as possible, it is best to not consume alcohol or smoke.”
WHO states that “There is a globally agreed target to halt the rise in diabetes and obesity
by 2025. In order to achieve such targets all nations worldwide should work towards ways of
reducing the menace by awareness and prevention. The general public needs to control their
lifestyles in order to prevent diabetes from affecting their lives. It is time that there is a united
effort in uprooting diabetes.

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References and Bibliography:
Albright, A. L., & Gregg, E. W. (2013). Preventing type 2 diabetes in communities across the
US: the National Diabetes Prevention Program. American journal of preventive
medicine, 44(4), S346-S351.
Haas, L., Maryniuk, M., Beck, J., Cox, C. E., Duker, P., Edwards, L., ... & McLaughlin, S.
(2012). National standards for diabetes self-management education and support. The
Diabetes Educator, 38(5), 619-629.
Ma, J., Yank, V., Xiao, L., Lavori, P. W., Wilson, S. R., Rosas, L. G., & Stafford, R. S. (2013).
Translating the Diabetes Prevention Program lifestyle intervention for weight loss into
primary care: a randomized trial. JAMA internal medicine, 173(2), 113-121.
Straitstimes.com (2018). 'Disturbingly high' rates of diabetes in India: Study. [online] The Straits
Times. Available at: http://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/disturbingly-high-rates-of-
diabetes-in-india-study [Accessed 27 Mar. 2018].
Straitstimes.com (2018). Number of people in Britain with diabetes more than doubled since 20
years ago: Report. [online] The Straits Times. Available at:
http://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/number-of-people-in-britain-with-diabetes-
more-than-doubled-since-20-years-ago [Accessed 27 Mar. 2018].
Who.int (2018). Diabetes programme. [online] World Health Organization. Available at:
http://www.who.int/diabetes/en/ [Accessed 27 Mar. 2018].

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Appendix
Image 1: Interview Consent Form