Diabetes Mellitus is probably one of the very common disease around the World. According to current figure, about 580 million people between the age of 20-79 yrs worldwide are suffering from this disease and projection shows this figure will reach to 645 million by 2030. Such a widespread disease needs to be look upon by maintaining a healthy diet along with a superficial lifestyle. Today there are lot of misconceptions also prevalent in our society about this disease. So it is important we understand all the things correctly. Hence I bring you all the most frequently asked questions about this disease in below section. Check more on IDF official website.

50 Most Frequently Asked Questions About Diabetes 

Also Read: 50 Most Frequently Asked Questions About Alcohol and Its Effects

1. What is Diabetes ?

Ans. Diabetes Mellitus, commonly known as diabetes, is a disease which occurs due to excessive increase in blood sugar(glucose) levels. Blood sugar levels can increase due to multiple reasons. It can either be when Pancreas are not producing enough insulin to metabolize the blood sugar into energy or when insulin produced by the body is not getting utilized properly to convert glucose into energy.

2. What causes Diabetes ?

Ans. Sometimes the cause of diabetes is known whereas sometimes it is unknown. For example - Type 1 diabetes which generally affects Juveniles and young adults due to lack of insulin production, most of the time the cause of disease is unknown whereas Type 2 diabetes is mostly caused due to ineffective insulin utilization. The cells in muscle, fat and the liver become resistant to insulin hence does not respond properly to Insulin.

3. What are symptoms of a Diabetic Patient ?

Ans. Below are some of the common symptoms of a diabetic patient:-

• Increased thirst and urination
• Sudden weight loss
• Increased hunger
• Increase in fatigue and tiredness
• Blurred Vision
• Numbness or tingling in feet or hand
• Soreness that do not heal

4. What is type 2 diabetes ?

Ans. It is a types of diabetes which can occur due to ineffective insulin utilization by the body resulting in unusual high blood sugar levels.

5. How to prevent diabetes ?

Ans. Below are few of the ways to prevent diabetes :-

• Lose extra weight
• Increase intake of Fiber rich foods
• Regular Exercise
• Regulate your carbohydrate and sugar intake
• Keep your body hydrated all the time
• Visit your doctor for any abnormal change in your body
• Be extra careful if you have a family history of diabetes as there is a risk of genetic inheritance

6. What is type 1 diabetes ?

Ans. It is a type of diabetes which occur to Juveniles whose pancreas produces little to no insulin due to some unexplained reasons hence making them Insulin dependent.

7. How do you get diabetes ?

Ans. When either Pancreas does not produces enough insulin to regulate the body sugar level or if there is an increase in body sugar levels due to some externals factors then diabetes can occur.

8. What food is good for diabetes ?

Ans. Below are the different types of food recommended for diabetic patients:-

• Vegetables: Green Leafy
• Fruits: Oranges, Melon, Berries, Apples, Bananas
• Grains: wheat, rice, oats, barley
• Proteins: meat, chicken, fish, eggs
• Healthy Fats: Nuts, Seeds

9. Can you get diabetes from eating too much Sugar ?

Ans. If you are taking too much sugar and you are not a overweight person then chances are that your body is burning up all the calories and sugar is getting converted into energy the cell needs. But if you are a overweight person then it means your sugar are not getting metabolized into energy and hence could lead to an increase in blood sugar level causing diabetes.

10. How do you know if you have diabetes ?

Ans. If you started observing any of the diabetes symptoms like blurred vision, quick tiredness, frequent urination, very dry skin, having numb or tingling of feet or hands, increase in thirst then it is always recommended to visit your doctor for check up. There is a chance of early indication of diabetes.

11. Can diabetes be reversed ?

Ans. According to few studies, it is possible to reverse the diabetes with discipline lifestyle and healthy diet.

12. How Diabetes works ?

Ans. Diabetes occurs when your body cannot make or effectively use its own insulin, a hormone made by special cells in the pancreas called islets (eye-lets). Insulin serves as a “key” to open your cells, to allow the sugar (glucose) from the food you eat to enter. Then, your body uses that glucose for energy.

13. How to test for Diabetes ?

Ans. There are few tests that can be done for detecting diabetes in which the common one is Glucose Screening Test. In this test, person will be given glucose mainly through liquid and then after 1 hour a sample of blood is taken to check the blood glucose level. If the reading comes beyond the normal value of 140 mg/dl then the person has to go through Glucose Tolerance test. In this test, person sugar level will be tested before and after taking the glucose.

14. What causes low blood sugar without diabetes ?

Ans. Low blood sugar also known as Hypoglycemia without diabetes can be caused due to following reasons:-

• Due to fasting or malnutrition
• Due to complication in pregnancy
• Due to a gastric bypass surgery
• Due to hormonal problem in either pancreas, liver, kidney, adrenal gland or hearts.

15. What is gestational diabetes ?

Ans. It is a condition in which blood sugar level of a pregnant women become high during pregnancy.

16. Can diabetes be cured ?

Ans. As of now there is no cure for Diabetes but scientists are working on ground breaking research to find one. It is however possible to reverse and control the diabetes and maintain remission for quite some time.

17. What are the signs of diabetes ?

Ans. Very often below symptoms indicates the early signs of diabetes:-

• Increase in thirst and urination
• Unexplained weight loss
• Blurred Vision
• Increase in Fatigue
• Very very dry skin
• Increase in hunger

18. What causes gestational diabetes ?

Ans. Usually gestational diabetes occur when body does not make enough insulin during pregnancy.

19. What is diabetic A1C ?

Ans. When A1C level is 6.5% or more then it indicates diabetes.

20. What foods to avoid with diabetes ?

Ans. Below types of food should be completely avoided with diabetes:-

• Deep fried foods
• Sugary foods like Sweet and Soda
• High trans fat food like butter and cheese
• Sweetened Cereals
• Flavored Tea and Coffee
• Packaged Snacks
• Dried Fruits

21. Is diabetes a disease ?

Ans. Yes, it is a chronic disease that occurs when either Pancreas does not produce enough insulin or body does not use the insulin produced.

22. Is oatmeal good for diabetics ?

Ans. Oatmeal offers a wide range of health benefits and can be a great food for those with diabetes as long as it is taken as part of planned balanced diet. One cup of cooked oatmeal contains approximately 30 grams of carbs, which can fit into a healthy meal plan for people with diabetes.

23. What is diabetic ketoacidosis ?

Ans. It is serious and complicated condition in which the body produces excessive amount of blood acids, also known as ketones. This condition can occur either due to some illness or infection or due to absence of Insulin in the body.

24. Are bananas good for diabetics ?

Ans. Regulated consumption of banana as part of nutritious and balance diet plan is safe and healthy for the diabetics patient.

25. Can diabetics drink alcohol ?

Ans. Regulated alcohol consumption can be done by Diabetics but it is usually recommended to stay away from alcohol with high sugar contents.

26. Can you die from diabetes ?

Ans. The extreme diabetic conditions can lead to blindness, kidney failure, heart attacks, stroke and lower limb amputation.

27. How many types of diabetes are there ?

Ans. There are primarily two types of diabetes - Type 1 and Type 2.

28. How to avoid diabetes ?

Ans. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is the only way to avoid diabetes.

29. Is diabetes an autoimmune disease ?

Ans. Only Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease.

30. Is type 1 diabetes genetic ?

Ans. Type 1 diabetes can be developed due to predisposition that is passed through generations in families but the inheritance pattern is largely unknown.

31. Is type 2 diabetes genetic ?

Ans. As of now there is no clear pattern of inheritance found in type 2 diabetes however there many affected individuals have atleast one close family member with this disease.

32. Can antigen test react on diabetics ?

Ans. It has been observed that Patients with type 1 diabetes react primarily with the ZnT8 variant that they carry.

33. Does diabetes make you tired ?

Ans. Diabetic patients usually face fatigue problem which is very different from being tired. If you get tired then you can rest and become fresh again but fatigue is the extreme form of tiredness which can disrupt the patient daily work activities.

34. What does pre diabetic mean ?

Ans. It is a condition in which diabetes is high but not high enough to be Type 2 Diabetes.

35. Can diabetics donate blood ?

Ans. If a diabetic person can maintain its sugar to normal level then it is usually safe to donate blood. But it is always recommended to contact your doctor and take his advice before that.

36. Are grapes good for diabetes ?

Ans. Grapes are naturally sweet and do not contain any sugar. It contains a phytochemical called Resveratrol which helps in modulating the blood glucose response by efficiently regulating the usage of insulin. Hence grape can be a good choice for balanced diet plan.

37. Are Water Melons good for diabetes ?

Ans. Regulated amount of water melons can be consumed by people with diabetes. It is highly recommended to also take high nutritious food along with that.

38. Which gene causes type 1 diabetes ?

Ans. The risk of developing type 1 diabetes can be caused by certain variants of the HLA-DQA1, HLA-DQB1, and HLA-DRB1 genes.

39. What is A1C Test ?

Ans. It is a type of blood test that measures the average blood sugar levels over past three months.

40. What is diabetic neuropathy ?

Ans. Diabetic neuropathy is a condition in which patient nerve gets damaged due to high blood sugar.

41. What causes diabetic neuropathy ?

Ans. Diabetic neuropathy caused due to uncontrolled high blood sugar. It damages nerve and interfere with the ability to send signals.

42. What is diabetic nephropathy ?

Ans. Diabetic nephropathy is a condition in which patient kidney gets affected.

43. What causes diabetic nephropathy ?

Ans. Diabetic nephropathy caused due to hypertension or high blood pressure as a result of diabetes complications.

44. What is diabetic retinopathy ?

Ans. Diabetic retinopathy is a condition in which patient eye gets affected.

45. What causes diabetic retinopathy ?

Ans. It's caused by damage to the blood vessels of the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye (retina).

46. What causes diabetic foot ulcer ?

Ans. Diabetic ulcer is mostly caused by:-

• poor circulation
• high blood sugar(hyperglycemia)
• nerve damage
• irritated or wounded feet

47. What causes diabetic shock ?

Ans. Diabetic shock can be caused due to too much insulin in the body as a result of imbalance.

48. How to know if you have diabetes without blood test ?

Ans. If you started showing below symptoms then there is an indication of diabetes:-

• Increase in thirst and urination
• Unexplained weight loss
• Blurred Vision
• Increase in Fatigue
• Very very dry skin
• Increase in hunger

49. What is the difference between diabetes mellitus and diabetes Insipidus ?

Ans. In diabetes mellitus, the level of glucose in your blood, also called blood sugar, is too high. Your kidneys try to remove the extra glucose by passing it in your urine. In diabetes insipidus, your blood glucose levels are normal, but your kidneys can't properly concentrate urine.

50. What are the differences between Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes ?

Ans. Below are the main differences between Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes:-

• The type 1 diabetes mellitus is also called Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus (IDDM) whereas the type 2 diabetes mellitus is called Non-Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus (NIDDM).
• People with Type 1 diabetes do not produce insulin whereas people with Type 2 diabetes does not respond normally to insulin.
• Type 1 is largely due to genetic disorder that shows up in early life whereas Type 2 is developed over time typically over the age of 40 due to different lifestyle factors.