Prediabetes: An emerging health issue
A HEALTH expert has warned that obese people have a high chance of being prediabetic which leads to Type 2 diabetes if not treated on time.
Prediabetes is the stage just before diabetes mellitus where the person’s blood sugar is abnormally high but not enough to be considered as diabetes. The body will be failing to use the hormone insulin which is necessary to transport glucose, in prediabetics the body fails to make enough insulin or does not use the insulin well which is insulin resistance.
Type 2 diabetes (formerly called non-insulindependent or adult-onset) results from the body’s ineffective use of insulin. Type 2 diabetes comprises the majority of people with diabetes around the world and is largely the result of excess body weight and physical inactivity.
Nutritionist and Health coach Ms Rumbidzai Mukori noted that many Zimbabweans are at risk of being in the prediabetic stage if they do not get tested.
“Prediabetes, if undiagnosed or untreated, can develop into Type 2 Diabetes; which while treatable is not fully reversible. Prediabetes is a critical stage in the development of Diabetes, at this point lifestyle choices can turn it around. Early, decisive action can slow down or even halt the development of Type 2 diabetes,” she said.
She said some of the reasons why people get in to the prediabetes stage were due to poor eating habits that have been fuelled by consuming over processed foods.
She said prediabetes is be caused by being overweight, excess abdominal fat, chronic stress and poor eating habits.
Ms Mukori said some of the signs of prediabetic people include extreme thirst or hunger, feeling hungry even after a meal, frequent or increased urination and feeling more tired than usual.
She said although statistics are not yet available in Zimbabwe on prediabetic people, it is said mostly people above 30 years are at risk.
Prediabetes, however, can be reversed if detected early and one leads a healthier life style and avoid being overweight. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) Diabetes is often a silent condition and a significant number of people are unaware that they have the condition.
“Diabetic patients often lack access to proper treatment and diabetic medications, especially insulin, resulting in avoidable complications. Complications include neurological, vascular or visual disorders, heart disease, stroke, lower limb amputation, kidney failure and many other chronic conditions.
“Diabetes in the region is a serious, chronic and costly disease that is estimated to rise to 23.9 million cases by 2030. Diabetes risk factors include physical inactivity, overweight and obesity, tobacco use and consuming foodstuffs that are high in bad fats and calories,” said WHO.