Topic 2 - Diabetes & carbohydrates Flashcards
What is Diabetes?
- Diabetes mellitus is a condition which is characterised by hyperglycaemia (high blood glucose levels)
• Blood glucose levels become too high due to the body producing little or no insulin , or not using insulin properly (insulin resistance)
• Several distinct types of diabetes exist • No cure, requires lifelong management
What is the Incidence of diabetes?
- Australia’s fastest growing chronic disease
- Approximately 1 million Australians are currently diagnosed with diabetes • Ranked in the top 10 of leading causes of death in Australia • 275 Australians develop diabetes every day
- For every person diagnosed, it is estimated that there is another who is not yet diagnosed
- By 2025 it is estimated that over 3 million Australians will have type 2 diabetes
- Diabetes costs the Australian economy $6 billion annually
- Has been identified as a national healthy priority by the federal government since 1997, yet prevalence is still on the rise
What is the prevalence of diabetes?
• More common in people 45 years+
• More males than females have diabetes
• The prevalence is greater in disadvantaged areas (almost double)
• Indigenous Australians are 3x more likely to have diabetes
• Higher among people born overseas (especially
southern and central asia)
What are the Types of Diabetes
• Pre – diabetes (2 million Australians)
– Impaired fasting glucose
– Impaired glucose tolerance
• Type 1 diabetes (10%)
• Type 2 diabetes (90%)
• Gestational diabetes (7% of all pregnancies)
• Secondary diabetes (due to pancreatic disease or steroid use)
How is Diabetes diagnosed?
- Glucose tolerance test
- Overnight fast
- 75 gram glucose load (drink)
- Venous blood glucose level taken at fasting, one hour and 2 hours post glucose load
How do we interpret results of a diabetes test
Fasting 2 Hours
Normal < 6.0 < 7.8
Diabetes >7.0 >11.1
IGT < 7.8
GDM > 5.1 > 8.5
What are the non-modifiable risk factors for Diabetes
• Family history
• Age–40years+
• Ethnicity – Aborigines or Torres Strait Islanders, Melanesian, Polynesian,
Chinese, Indian sub‐continent (AIHW 2002).
• History of Gestational Diabetes (or infant born >4.5kg)
• Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome
What are the modifiable risk factors for diabetes
Modifiable risks: • Obesity/ Overweight • Sedentary lifestyle • Heart Disease / High Blood Pressure / High cholesterol • High fat diet • Smoking
Discuss modifiable risk factors
• Overweight adults risk x3
• Obese adults possibly x10 (AIHW 2002)
• Physical activity and diet modification can delay or prevent progression to Type 2 diabetes
• People with diabetes are – more likely to do no, or have a low level of exercise, and
–be known to be obese or overweight (54.9% compared with 33.6%).
How does our shape influence diabetes
Apple shape a more powerful determinant of risk for type 2 diabetes than BMI and pear shape
Discuss type 2 diabetes
- 90% of all people with diabetes have Type2
- Common for people to have no symptoms
- Usually discovered by routine screening or with other co‐morbidities
- Strongly associated with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, overweight esp. abdominal fat
- Insulin resistant–pancreas is producing insulin but it is not able to do it’s job. Fat forms a physical barrier &/or tissues are less responsive to insulin.
Discuss diabetes and insulin connections
In Diabetes… Insulin cannot effectively transport Glucose into the cells.
Describe type 1 diabetes
• Only 10 of all people with diabetes have Type 1 diabetes
• Over 5700 children aged 0‐14 have Type 1 diabetes (2008)
• Usually affects children and young adults (<18years)
• Sudden onset and symptomatic – thirst, weight loss,
urinating frequently, blurred vision
• The pancreas cannot produce insulin ‐ beta cells have been destroyed
• Insulin injections absolutely necessary
Describe gestational diabetes
• Approximately 7% of pregnant women develop gestational diabetes around 24 _28 weeks of pregnancy
– >30years – Family history of diabetes – Overweight pre‐pregnancy
• 30‐50% increased risk of type 2 later in life
• Pregnancy = insulin resistant. This allows the baby to grow
and develop.
• If undiagnosed the baby grows bigger much faster
(macrosomia). Increased risk of baby developing type 2 diabetes later in their life.
Discuss Impaired Glucose Tolerance
Important pre‐diagnostic state
• If left, may develop Type 2 diabetes within 5‐10 years
• Weight loss critical for prevention –↓10%
• Physical activity key to encouraging more efficient glucose uptake
• Early referral to a Dietitian