Practice a healthy lifestyle to prevent diabetes

PV:According to the World Health Organization, the number of deaths due to diabetes is much higher than infectious diseases that have always been considered dangerous. Can you tell us more about this disease and its dangers?

Master, Doctor Phan The Thanh:According to statistics, the global death toll ofdiabetesIn 2015, the number of deaths due to HIV/AIDS was 5 million people. And also during this period, the number of deaths due to HIV/AIDS was 1.5 million people, tuberculosis was 1.5 million people and malaria was 0.6 million people...

In essence,diabetesis a condition of increased insulin resistance and decreased insulin secretion in beta cells in the pancreas (insulin is a hormone that helps bring glucose from the blood into cells in the body to create energy for cell activity). This condition leads to hyperglycemia.

High and prolonged blood sugar causes dangerous complications that affect the life and quality of life of the patient such as: Eye damage causing blindness; kidney failure; foot infection, limb amputation; especially cardiovascular complications such as: High blood pressure, stroke, myocardial infarction...

There are many types of diabetes, the three most common and common types are type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes and gestational diabetes. In addition, there is secondary diabetes due to causes such as genetic defects, diabetes due to internal diseases or due to the use of drugs, chemicals such as glucocorticoids, HIV/AIDS treatment or after tissue transplantation...

Type 1 diabetes is a condition in which the person with the disease lacks insulin due to the destruction of the beta cells of the pancreas, causing reduced or no insulin secretion. Type 1 diabetes is less common than type 2, accounting for about 5-10% of people with diabetes and usually occurs in young people. The disease often progresses for several months to several years before the first symptoms are noticed.

Over time, uncontrolled type 1 diabetes can cause complications in major organs in the body, including certain heart and blood vessel problems; nerve damage; eye and kidney damage; skin and mouth infections; and pregnancy complications. Complications of type 1 diabetes can be disabling or even life-threatening.

Type 2 diabetes is a condition in which the patient has increased insulin resistance and decreased insulin secretion in pancreatic beta cells. Type 2 diabetes accounts for about 90% - 95% of the total number of people with the disease. The disease often occurs in people who are overweight, obese, lazy to exercise, eat a lot of starch, little green vegetables, little fiber... The disease is getting younger and younger as more and more young people under 30 years old have type 2 diabetes.

If type 2 diabetes is not treated, high blood sugar will cause serious damage to body parts such as: eyes, heart, kidneys, feet, blood vessels, nerves, sometimes blood sugar increases too much can cause the patient to fall into a coma leading to death... However, if type 2 diabetes is treated and cared for properly, people with type 2 diabetes will live well, reducing the risk of dangerous complications.

PV:What are the early signs of the disease? Can you tell me about the treatment?

Master, Doctor Phan The Thanh:Symptoms of type 1 diabetes include: Frequent urination; increased thirst; increased fluid intake; rapid weight loss/feeling hungry; fatigue; blurred vision; frequent skin, urinary or vaginal infections; irritability or mood swings; new bedwetting in a child who had not had it before... Serious warning signs include restlessness; confusion; rapid deep breathing; fruity breath odor; abdominal pain; loss of consciousness (rare).

TheSymptoms of type 2 diabetes can be so mild that the person may not notice them. People with the disease often do not pay attention to the symptoms, including: Extreme thirst; frequent urination; blurred vision; irritability; tingling or numbness in the hands or feet; fatigue/feeling tired; wounds that do not heal; yeast infections that keep coming back; feeling hungry; weight loss without trying; more infections... If you notice dark, rough skin around the neck or armpits (acanthosis nigricans) it can be a sign that the body is becoming resistant to insulin.

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Diabetes is a chronic disease, however, if detected early, patients can completely treat and control the disease effectively, proactively respond to complications of the disease and ensure health safety. Treatment of diabetes requires a combination of many factors including: Lifestyle, diet, exercise, medication... to stabilize blood sugar levels. In addition, for each different type of diabetes, there will be specific treatment directions based on the patient's health condition.

Master, Doctor Phan The Thanh - Deputy Head of Emergency Resuscitation Department, Nghe An Endocrinology Hospital

In Nghe An, diabetes is currently treated at district and provincial hospitals. District hospitals treat mild patients without complications. Patients with complications or severe complications need to be transferred to provincial hospitals for treatment. Provincial hospitals have a full range of drugs and can treat most complications well... Nghe An is moving towards managing, treating, and guiding mild patients right at commune health stations.

PV:It is known that the rate of patients with diabetes is increasing rapidly; along with that, there are many people with pre-diabetes that have not been detected. What can the doctor say about this?

Master, Doctor Phan The Thanh:According to statistics from the International Diabetes Federation, every 24 hours, in the world there are: 3,600 new cases of diabetes diagnosed, 580 people die, 225 people have limb amputations, 120 people have end-stage kidney failure and 55 people go blind due to diabetes.

In Vietnam, the rate of diabetes is also increasing following the general trend of the world. A national survey by the Central Endocrinology Hospital in 2002 showed that the national diabetes rate was 2.7%. After 10 years, the national survey in 2012 showed that this rate had doubled to 5.4%. The results of the most recent national survey in 2020 showed that the rate of diabetes in Vietnam was 7.3%; the rate of pre-diabetes was 17.8%... In Nghe An, a survey by the Nghe An Endocrinology Hospital showed that in 2010, the rate of diabetes in the whole province was 5.36%, by 2020 it had increased to 7.2%. These are truly alarming numbers.

Another worrying fact that needs to be paid close attention to is that over 60% of diabetic patients have not been diagnosed, the disease is increasingly appearing in young people as the rate of overweight and obesity increases rapidly... Along with that, more than half of adults have never had a blood sugar test to detect diabetes.

The increase in diabetes in Vietnam has the following causes:The firstAccording to research by the World Health Organization, Asians are at higher risk of diabetes than Europeans and Americans.Monday, life develops, food is more abundant, many people cannot control their eating.Tuesday, in technological life, office work plus work pressure has caused many people to limit their movement and physical exercise...

The reason why many people have diabetes and pre-diabetes without being detected is mainly due to inadequate awareness of the disease; the disease has no symptoms; there is no habit of screening for the disease, regular health check-ups; and the fear of "detecting the disease".

PV:Diabetes is preventable. Can you recommend people to take the initiative to prevent the disease?

Master, Doctor Phan The Thanh:Type 1 diabetes is caused by genetic factors, a weakened immune system, or environmental factors. Type 2 diabetes can be caused by genetic factors, obesity, and lack of exercise. Clinical studies and community interventions have shown that type 2 diabetes can be prevented by following a healthy diet, maintaining an ideal body weight, and increasing physical activity.

To prevent type 2 diabetes, people need to change negative lifestyles and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Smokers need to change their habits and gradually quit smoking. People should minimize the use of alcohol and beer; have a varied diet, reduce starch intake, increase protein and fiber intake; eat healthy fats; supplement foods rich in vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E... and minerals from fruits and vegetables; limit the consumption of soft drinks... A healthy diet that reduces sugar intake will help the body become healthier and avoid many dangerous complications caused by type 2 diabetes.

Everyone needs to have a suitable exercise regimen: Regular physical activity of at least 30 minutes a day, 150 minutes a week... will have many health benefits such as disease prevention and improvement. People who work continuously on the computer, take a few minutes to stand up, walk, and do light activities after every 30 minutes of work to help blood circulation, better control blood sugar.

Everyone needs to have regular health check-ups and screening for diabetes and pre-diabetes. Screening to detect diseases early and detect disease risks will save a lot of treatment costs and prevent future complications; as well as improve the quality of life and protect the happiness of the patient and his or her family.

PV:Thank you doctor!