Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects the body’s ability to create and/or use insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas that is the key to turning sugars into energy. As a result, people with diabetes suffer from abnormally high levels of blood sugar, which over time can lead to cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, vision loss, and nerve damage, potentially leading to disability or premature death. Over 420 million people worldwide are living with this disease, and more people die of diabetes-related diseases than of HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis combined.
Diabetes thus ranks as one of our most pressing global public health challenges, but experts in this field have made important progress in understanding the impacts of this condition and how it can be treated. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over 90% of people suffering from this illness have type 2 diabetes, which develops over many years and can be prevented or delayed with lifestyle changes such as a healthy diet and exercise. Thus, nutrition and education have a crucial role to play in managing diabetes impacts.
