A Patient's Guide to Preventing Diabetes

Insulin is a hormone required to convert the carbohydrates (i.e. sugar and starches) we have eaten into energy needed in our daily lives. Diabetes develops when the body produces insufficient insulin or does not make use of insulin properly and blood sugars fail to get into the cells of our body.

The build up of sugar in our body can damage our blood vessels and cause serious health complications such as heart disease, kidney failure, blindness and amputations.

A person suffering from diabetes who is undiagnosed and treated with insulin can lapse into a life-threatening coma. In Singapore, diabetes is the sixth leading cause of death.

Three Major Types of Diabetes

Type 1 Diabetes
Also known as insulin-dependent diabetes and juvenile-onset diabetes, Type 1 diabetes occurs when the pancreas stops producing insulin. It is caused by a combination of autoimmune, genetic and environmental factors.

Type 2 Diabetes
Also known as non-insulin-dependent diabetes or adult-onset diabetes, this is the most common form of diabetes. This develops when the body does not use insulin properly and there is insufficient insulin for use.

Age, obesity, family history of diabetes, prior history of gestational diabetes and physical inactivity increase the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

Gestational Diabetes
Some women develop diabetes during pregnancy that usually disappears when a pregnancy is over. Women who suffered from gestational diabetes are more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes later in life. Gestational diabetes also occurs more frequently in women with a family history of diabetes.