Diabetes is a medical condition where there is too much sugar circulating in the blood stream. The main sugar found in your body is glucose and it is essential for good health. It is important that diabetes is diagnosed early and treated appropriately as it can cause severe health complications. The hormone that controls the blood glucose is called insulin and is normally produced in the pancreas (a large fleshy organ under the stomach).Insulin deficiency either complete or partial is known as “type 1” or “type 2” diabetes and is the basic mechanism behind diabetes .Although other factors have an influence, this difference is important when considering treatment. In a person with Type 1 diabetes, their pancreas makes little or no insulin. People with Type 2 diabetes the body does not use the insulin produced by the pancreas correctly.
Genetics definitely play a role in diabetes but in most cases, it isn't the whole story.
According to, Matthews (2008) one of the first signs of diabetes can be a unquenchable thirst and overwhelming tiredness. Other symptoms can be passing large amounts of urine, especially at night, weight loss, getting itching or regular episodes of thrush and blurred vision.
Around 2 per cent of people in this country have diabetes,Clark (2004), although as many as half of them do not realise it. The vast majority have type 2 diabetes which affects more men than women. As the age of the population as a whole is rising, type 2 diabetes is likely to become even more common during the coming years: at present the number of school children with diabetes is about 2 in 1000.
The prevalence of diabetes is much greater in ethnic minorities, so that, for example, more than 16 per cent of Asians in the UK may be affected. Clark (2004)
Initial medical tests that can diagnose diabetes are straightforward and consist of tests to check the level of glucose in your blood. Initially your health professional