What is diabetes and the types of diabetes
Diabetes mellitus, or commonly referred to as diabetes, is a group of metabolic diseases characterised by recurrent or persistent hyperglycemia (high sugar or glucose level in the blood). People with diabetes are either not producing enough insulin or their cells are unable to respond well to the insulin produced. Insulin is produced by the beta cells of the islets of Langerhans in the pancreas. In Singapore, diabetes affects 10 percent of its population and is one of the top six killers. The 3 main types of diabetes are: • Type 1 diabetes • Type 2 diabetes • Gestational diabetes Type 1 diabetes Type 1 diabetes results from the body’s inability to produce insulin, requiring the person to inject insulin. This type of diabetes is due to the loss of beta cells of the islets of Langerhans, which may be immune-mediated or idiopathic. There are no known preventive measures against type 1 diabetes. The cause of this type is partly inherited and then triggered by certain...