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Diabetes

What is diabetes?

Diabetes mellitus, or simply diabetes, is a chronic condition in which the sugar level in the blood is too high.

The beta cells of the pancreas are responsible for producing the hormone insulin. This hormone allows the body’s cells to absorb sugar (glucose) from the blood. If the pancreas produces little or no insulin, or if the available insulin does not work properly (insulin resistance), sugar accumulates in the blood, resulting in diabetes.

Sugar (glucose) is an important source of energy for our body. Carbohydrates and sugars (naturally present in our food and added to food products) are converted into glucose in the digestive canal. Through the bloodstream, glucose is transported to the body’s cells. Insulin functions as a key, enabling glucose to be absorbed through the cell wall into the cells, where it provides energy.

Types of Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes: The body does not produce insulin
Affects 5 to 10% of people with diabetes.

  • It usually develops in children or young adults ( < 40 years).
  • It is an autoimmune disease in which the body’s own immune system attacks the beta cells of the pancreas.
  • Prevention is not possible. The onset is related to hereditary factors and environmental triggers such as viral infections, certain foods …
  • Symptoms (frequent urination, excessive thirst, weight loss, fatigue …) appear quickly and are usually very pronounced.
  • Insulin must be administered.

Type 2 diabetes: There is insufficient insulin production and the body’s cells are less responsive to insulin.
Affects 90 to 95% of people with diabetes.

  • It mainly develops in adults (> 40 years).
  • Two causes are responsible for its onset: insulin resistance and reduced insulin production.
  • The development is linked to various risk factors and is largely preventable. In addition to heredity and age (which cannot be influenced), an unhealthy lifestyle and obesity increase the risk of type 2 diabetes.
  • At the time of diagnosis, 30% of people already have complications.
  • Symptoms are less pronounced (compared to type 1 diabetes).
    “A poorly healing foot wound” or “cramping in feet or toes” often leads to a chance discovery by a doctor. Clear symptoms such as excessive thirst, dry mouth, frequent urination, unexplained fatigue and impaired vision usually appear after a longer period.

Gestational diabetes
Occurs mainly in the second half of pregnancy and is caused by hormonal changes. It is a temporary form of diabetes that disappears after childbirth, but one in two woman with gestational diabetes will develop type 2 diabetes within five to 10 years after giving birth.

Secondary diabetes
Secondary diabetes is caused by the use of certain medication (such as corticosteroids or hormone therapy), or by pancreatic or liver disorders, etc.

Source: Diabetes League

Eat consciously, live healthy. What you can do yourself.

  • Drink enough water.
  • Get sufficient physical activity, about 30 minutes a day. Together with a healthy, balanced diet, this helps prevent the risk of obesity.
  • Maintain a healthy weight and follow a calorie-restricted diet. Fat, sugar and alcohol provide the most calories. Never skip a meal.
  • Eat consciously and in a balanced way. Choose complex carbohydrates such as those found in bread, grains, pasta, … and limit simple sugars: mono- and disaccharides such as those in candy, soft drinks, sugar, cereal syrups, …
  • Improve bowel movements by eating more fiber. Raw vegetables are rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals and are ideal hunger suppressant.
  • Avoid both excessive fat and saturated fat.
  • Choose safe sugar substitutes as a source of sweet. They provide fewer calories.

Some statistics

  1. In Belgium, the proportion of diabetic patients increased over ten years from 5.4% of the population in 2011 to 6.8% in 2021. Prevalence increases with age and is higher among men, particularly in the older age groups.
  2. In 2021, 6.8% of the Belgian population had a known diabetes diagnosis. However, more than one in three people with diabetes are unaware of their condition, making the estimated actual prevalence of diabetes 10.0%.
  3. The prevalence of diabetes continues to rise over time due to the aging population and an increase in risk factors for developing diabetes.
    Diagnosed diabetes prevalence is highest in the Walloon Region and lowest in the Flemish Region, despite the relatively older population in Flanders. The relatively low prevalence of diagnosed diabetes in the Brussels-Capital Region is likely due to the younger population. When adjusted for age, the diagnosed prevalence in the Brussels-Capital Region is higher than the Belgian average. BELHES also showed that more people in the Walloon Region are unaware of their diabetes status compared to the Brussels-Capital Region and Flemish Regions.
    From 2007 to 2021, the prevalence of diagnosed diabetes increased in all three regions, due to both population aging and a real increase in the risk of developing diabetes, which may be related, for example, to an increase in overweight/obesity. The age-adjusted prevalence of diabetes increased by 25% in the Walloon Region and by 24% in the Brussels-Capital Region and Flemish Regions.
  4. Belgians with an increased compensation status are at higher risk of diabetes.
    The prevalence of diagnosed diabetes (IMA data) is nearly twice as high among people with increased compensation status compared to those with normal compensation status. Prevalence has increased over time in both groups.
    The BELHES has shown that people with a lower level of education are significantly more likely to have undiagnosed or poorly controlled diabetes compared to those with higher education (RR = 3.6, adjusted for age and gender). This may indicate socioeconomic inequalities in diabetes screening and follow-up.

Source: www.belgium.be, publication 13/06/2023

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