The Spreading Disease of Diabetes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Spreading Disease of Diabetes - Essay Example 186,300, or 0.22% of population below 20 years of age suffers from diabetes. 0.25% children and adolescents possess type 1 diabetes. Prediabetic individuals in the age range of 12-19 years are around 2 million adolescents (5% obese adolescents). After the age of 20 years, 23.5 million, or 10.7% of all population experience diabetes. 12.2 million, or 23.1% elderly population having age greater than or equal to 60 years suffers from diabetes. 12.0 million, or 11.2% of all men and 11.5 million, or 10.2% of all women aged 20 years or older have diabetes (National Diabetes Statistics, 2007). The certain populations have a higher prevalence of diabetes due to specific genetic traits leading to race and ethnic differences in diabetic rates such as 6.6% of non-Hispanic whites, 7.5% of Asian Americans, 11.8% of non-Hispanic blacks, and 10.4% of Hispanics (among Hispanics: 8.2% Cubans, 11.9% Mexican Americans, and 12.6% Puerto Ricans). Diabetic rates mentioned are after the age of 20 years (Na tional Diabetes Statistics, 2007). Diabetes is broadly classified into two types: Type I Diabetes and Type II Diabetes. Type I diabetes is juvenile or insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) and almost 10% of all diabetic cases are dependent on insulin for their survival. Other 90% cases display type II diabetes caused due to decreased insulin levels and/or insulin resistance (American Diabetes Association, 2002). Type II diabetes is mainly caused by passive still stressed lifestyle leading to onset of diabetes in obese children and middle aged individuals and also called as and non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) (World Health Organisation, 1999). The genetic as well as environmental factors causes malfunctioning of the insulin functioning or secretion. Normal blood glucose levels are dependent on circulating insulin levels, counterregulatory