Around 4.9 million people are currently living with diabetes in the UK, according to Diabetes UK charity's analysis.
Diabetes is a lifelong condition that causes a person's blood sugar level to become too high.
There are two main types of diabetes, which are type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is where the body's immune system attacks and destroys the cells that produce insulin. Type 2 diabetes is where the body does not produce enough insulin, or the body's cells do not react to insulin.
In the UK, around 90% of all adults with diabetes have type 2.
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Another form of diabetes can be experienced by pregnant women. During pregnancy, some women have such high levels of blood glucose that their body is unable to produce enough insulin to absorb it all. This is called a gestational diabetes.
Here are the signs of diabetes to watch out for and what causes it.
The main symptoms of diabetes:
The NHS recommends that you visit your GP as soon as possible if you experience the main symptoms of diabetes, which includes:
- feeling very thirsty
- peeing more frequently than usual, particularly at night
- feeling very tired
- weight loss and loss of muscle bulk
- itching around the penis or vagina, or frequent episodes of thrush
- cuts or wounds that heal slowly
- blurred vision
It should be noted as well that Type 1 diabetes can develop quickly over weeks or even days, whereas for many people have type 2 diabetes for years without realising because the early symptoms can be too general.
Causes of diabetes:
The amount of sugar in your blood is controlled by a hormone called insulin, which is produced by the pancreas.
After you've eaten, your food is digested and enters the bloodstream. Insulin then moves glucose out of the blood and into cells where it's broken down to produce energy.
However, if you have diabetes you either do not have enough insulin to move the glucose or the insulin produced does not work properly. As a result, your body is unable to break down glucose into energy.
Living with diabetes:
There are no lifestyle changes you can make to lower your risk of type 1 diabetes, according to the NHS.
But you can help manage type 2 diabetes through healthy eating, regular exercise and achieving a healthy body weight.
With both types, you will need to carry out regular blood tests to ensure your blood glucose levels stay balanced. People diagnosed with type 1 diabetes also require regular insulin injections for the rest of their life. Type 2 diabetes is a progressive condition - medicine may eventually be required, usually in the form of tablets.
Gestational diabetes:
Gestational diabetes develops during pregnancy and usually disappears after giving birth. According to the NHS, it can happen at any stage of the pregnancy, but is more common in the second or third trimester.
Symptoms include:
- increased thirst
- needing to pee more often than usual
- a dry mouth
- tiredness
Causes of gestational diabetes include:
- your body mass index (BMI) is above 30
- you previously had a baby that weighed 4.5kg (10lb) or more at birth
- you had the condition in a previous pregnancy
- one of your parents or siblings has diabetes
- you are of south Asian, Black, African-Caribbean or Middle Easter origin (even if you were born in the UK)
Gestational diabetes does not usually cause any symptoms. Most cases are only discovered when your blood sugar levels are tested during screening for gestational diabetes.
However, if any of the causes apply to you, the NHS has said that you should be offered screening for gestational diabetes during your pregnancy.
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