Free diabetes screening campaign.

Spain, November 2011- Endocrinology and nutrition of USP Dexeus service will today, Monday, November 14 and on the occasion of World Diabetes Day, tests free measurement of glucose, with the aim of raising awareness of the importance of the early detection of this disease and to share risks and diabetes warning signs.

Tests carried out at the reception of the c / Sabino Arana (5-19) Hospital in 10 to 14 h, where information about diabetes, causes and consequences, or the importance of testing regularly especially if there is a family history will also be provided. Also, free studies of complication of diabetes will be undertaken for patients with diabetes.

Diabetes is a disease caused by insulin deficiency or inability to use insulin properly by the body. Insulin is the hormone responsible for orchestrating the use and storage of glucose (sugar) ingested from food. Diabetes is characterized by high levels of glucose in the blood, a fact which can cause serious health problems in the long term such as blindness, kidney failure, cardiovascular disease, neurological damage or male impotence.

It is important to detect the disease in time and see a doctor so you can a correct diagnosis, especially if you have any of these risk factors:

-history family of diabetes

– overweight or obesity

-accumulation of fat in the abdomen

-history of gestational diabetes

-symptoms of increased thirst and urination

as preventive measures is advisable to regularly control your weightphysical exercise and a healthy diet, moderate consumption of fats and sugars.

Types of diabetes

-Type 1: juvenile or insulin-dependent. It is characterized by a deficiency of insulin, because the body cannot manufacture, and is treated with insulin.

-type 2: the adult diabetes. Caused by misuse of insulin. The pancreas produces insulin, but this is not acting properly. Usually begin in adulthood and is associated with obesity or central (people with more waist to hip) fat accumulation.

This type of diabetes is the most common but have no symptoms. For this reason, it is important to perform regular controls, that diabetes can cause serious health problems, and until her premature death.

Incidence of diabetes

In Spain, it is estimated that diabetes affects 13.8% of the population: more than 5.3 million people, a million and half of whom have diabetes and are unaware of it. That is why it is very important to make an early diagnosis, modify lifestyle and proper monitoring and self-control of people with diabetes to reduce these figures.

In addition, the incidence has increased by three in the last 10 years. The reasons are due to changes in habits. Whereas type 1 diabetes have an origin linked to genetic factors, type 2, which is more increasing, is generated by obesity, which in turn is the result of changes in lifestyle, such as poor diet and sedentary lifestyle.