Diabetes Pocket Book

Introduction.

Diabetes is a chronic illness that is globally of epidemic proportions. According the most recent statistics 1 in 10 adults worldwide suffer from diabetes, that is, a global average prevalence of approximately 10%, although in some nations, for example, Pacific Islands one third of the population have diabetes.1,2,3 Over 90% of the cases of diabetes worldwide are type 2 diabetes (formerly called non-insulin-dependent or adult-onset diabetes – but now cases are being seen in children) which results from defective insulin production due to insulin resistance, and is characterised by the ineffective use of insulin to control glucose metabolism, and the disease is exacerbated by obesity, diets containing high levels of refined carbohydrate and fats, and lack of physical activity. Type 1 diabetes (previously known as insulin-dependent, juvenile or childhood-onset) comes about because of pancreatic beta cell destruction, and is characterized by deficient insulin production and people with type 1 diabetes have to receive an exogenous source of insulin from the start.