Types of Diabetes

Type 1 Diabetes

also called juvenile-onset or insulin-dependent diabetes.

The body completely stops making insulin. People with Type 1 diabetes must take daily insulin injections to survive. This form of diabetes usually develops in children or young adults, but can occur at any age.

The aim of treatment in Type 1 diabetes is to bring your blood glucose levels into the normal range, which is 4 - 6 mmol/l.

Treatment includes:

• Healthy eating
• Exercise
• Insulin injections

Type 2 Diabetes

Also called adult-onset or non insulin-dependent Diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes results when the body doesn’t produce enough insulin or is unable to use insulin properly (insulin resistance). This form of diabetes usually occurs in people who are over 40, overweight, and have a family history of diabetes, although today it is increasingly occurring in younger people, particularly adolescents.

Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes, yet we still do not understand it completely. Recent research does suggest, however, that there are some things one can do to prevent this form of diabetes. Studies show that lifestyle changes can prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes in those adults who are at high risk of getting the disease. Modest weight loss (5-10% of body weight) and modest physical activity (20 minutes a day) are recommended goals.

If you, or someone close to you, has just been diagnosed with type 1 or 2 diabetes, you may find it difficult to accept and feel very upset and frightened or angry. This is completely normal and we at Yes2Life will help you beat diabetes.

The good news is that having Type 1 or 2 diabetes does not mean that you have to stop doing things that you enjoy. Use the Yes2life website to learn as much as you can about your diabetes. The more you learn, the less fear you will have. Some people believe type 2 diabetes is not as serious as type 1 and because type 2 may not require taking insulin. For this reason, they may treat it lightly, ignore dietary suggestions, and believe that their illness is not serious. This isn’t true and type 2 diabetes must be taken seriously.

Gestational Diabetes

This type affects females during pregnancy. Some women have very high levels of glucose in their blood, and their bodies are unable to produce enough insulin to transport all of the glucose into their cells, resulting in progressively rising levels of glucose.

Diagnosis of gestational diabetes is made during pregnancy. The majority of gestational diabetes patients can control their diabetes with exercise and diet. Between 10% to 20% of them will need to take some kind of blood-glucose-controlling medications. Undiagnosed or uncontrolled gestational diabetes can raise the risk of complications during childbirth.

Scientists from the National Institutes of Health and Harvard University found that women whose diets before pregnancy, were high in animal fat and cholesterol, had a higher risk for gestational diabetes, compared to their counterparts whose diets were low in cholesterol and animal fats.