What is Diabetes?
Diabetes (diabetes mellitus) is classed as a metabolism disorder. Metabolism refers to the way our bodies use digested food for energy and growth. Most of what we eat is broken down into glucose. Glucose is a form of sugar in the blood – it is the principal source of fuel for our bodies.
When our food is digested, the glucose makes its way into our bloodstream. Our cells use the glucose for energy and growth. However, glucose cannot enter our cells without insulin being present – insulin makes it possible for our cells to take in the glucose.
Insulin is a hormone that is produced by the pancreas. After eating, the pancreas automatically releases an adequate quantity of insulin to move the glucose present in our blood into the cells, as soon as glucose enters the cells blood-glucose levels drop.
A person with diabetes has a condition in which the quantity of glucose in the blood is too elevated (hyperglycemia). This is because the body either does not produce enough insulin, produces no insulin, or has cells that do not respond properly to the insulin the pancreas produces. This results in too much glucose building up in the blood. This excess blood glucose eventually passes out of the body in urine. So, even though the blood has plenty of glucose, the cells are not getting it for their essential energy and growth requirements.
Diabetes in Uganda
According to Uganda Non-Communicable Diseases Alliance, 50,000 individuals were affected by diabetes in the year 2003, and a 10-fold increase is projected in the cases of diabetes by 2025 if no interventions are initiated. Estimates suggest that as many as 8% of people living in Kampala have type 2 diabetes.
A survey carried out in Kases survey found that the prevalence of raised blood glucose was 31% in females, 10 % in males; 13.9 % had a family history of diabetes mellitus (DM) and 2.9% were diabetic. It is estimated that diabetes patients in Uganda has a three-fold higher mortality rate than several European countries, including the UK.
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Facts and Myths about diabetes
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