
TYPES OF DIABETES
Diabetes Mellitus, generally termed Diabetes, is one of the leading causes of death throughout the
world. A carefully collected statistical data shows there are 20.8 million people suffering from diabetes
alone in America.
Diabetes can be simply explained as a metabolic disorder. Here the body of the person becomes unable
to absorb efficiently and then use the prime source of energy “glucose” for its proper functioning. This
situation comes into place when either the pancreas is not producing enough amount of insulin or the cells of
the person become resistant to the provided insulin.
World Health Organization has divided diabetes into three types
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Type 1 Diabetes
-
Type 2 Diabetes
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Gestational Diabetes
Type 1
Diabetes
This is an autoimmune disorder and is characterized by the inability of pancreas to produce insulin
because of the loss of beta cells. It is also termed Juvenile diabetes and occurs mainly in
children.
Type 2
Diabetes
In type 2 the pancreas is healthy and produces enough amount of insulin. But the cells of the body
become unable to produce the provided insulin for converting glucose into energy. It is also termed insulin
resistant diabetes and is more common in older people.
Gestational
Diabetes This type of diabetes develops only during pregnancy. It is more common in American
Indians, African-Americans and in Hispanic American. Women whoever had suffered from gestational diabetes have
20 % - 50 % more chances of developing type 2 diabetes within next 5-10 years.
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