Diabetes Thesis Statement Examples Diabetes Mellitus or Diabetes, as it is commonly known is one of the most rapidly spreading diseases

s in the world. According to the World Health Organization, there were nearly 171 million people suffering from diabetes in 2000 and the number is projected to increase to 366 million by the year 2030. Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disorder in which the amount of insulin produced by the body falls below the normal range. Insulin is normally responsible for lowering the blood sugar level in the body. In the absence of adequate amount of insulin, the blood sugar levels increase leading to symptoms like frequent urination, extreme thirst and increased hunger. There are primarily two types of diabetes Type I and Type II diabetes. The former is caused when the body is unable to produce sufficient quantity of insulin while the latter is due to the inability of the body to respond to insulin. Diabetes can either be genetic or acquired in nature. The rapidly growing number of people suffering from diabetes has forced the Center for Disease Control to declare it an epidemic. In the United States of America, nearly 26 million people were diagnosed with diabetes while 57 million had pre-diabetes. Experts believe that a major cause behind these increasing figures is the change in lifestyle brought about by the forces of urbanization and capitalization. The significant change in dietary patterns and the shift from home cooked meals to high calorie junk food has played a crucial role in the spread of Type II diabetes which is the more prevalent form of diabetes in developed nations by a huge margin. In USA, 90% of the people suffering from diabetes belong to the Type II category. At the same time however, diabetes is spreading at a rampant rate in Asia and Africa as well and it is estimated that by 2030, the majority of diabetes patients will be found in these continents. Not only is diabetes a major health hazard, it is a prominent financial burden on the national economy as well. According to an estimate by the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse, there is an annual expenditure of $132 billion on diabetes in the United States of America. Diabetes Thesis Statement Examples: * The change in normal lifestyle and dietary habits, the prevalence of sedentary jobs, the growing number of fast food chains, especially in developed countries, leads to obesity and related health problems. This has also lead to an increase in the number of people suffering from diabetes. * There has been an increase in the instance of gestational diabetes i.e. when pregnant women develop symptoms of diabetes after childbirth. In many cases, there are chances that the child might also have diabetes. Thus, apart from acquiring diabetes as a product of lifestyle changes, genetic diabetes is also adding to the already huge number of diabetes patients. * The epidemic of diabetes must be battled with great urgency both because of its medical implications and economic strain that it exerts on the global economy. * Diabetes must be recognized as being catastrophic not just for individual health but also for national economies, especially in third world nations.

* Since most people do not exercise regularly the problem of diabetes is only compounding. * Because of constant stress and work related pressures diabetic persons are unable to manage diabetes properly.

What is diabetes?

Diabetes mellitus arises when insufficient insulin is produced, or when the available insulin does not function correctly. Without insulin, the amount of glucose in the bloodstream is abnormally high, causing unquenchable thirst and frequent urination. The body's inability to store or use glucose causes hunger and weight loss. There are two main types of diabetes. Insulin-dependent diabetes type 1 diabetes occurs when there is a severe lack of insulin due to the destruction of most or all of the beta cells in the islets of Langerhans. This type of diabetes develops rapidly, usually appearing before the age of 35, and most often between the ages of 10 and 16. Regular insulin injections are required to survive. Non-insulin-dependent diabetes type 2 diabetes occurs when the body does not produce enough insulin, and the insulin that is produced becomes less effective. This type of diabetes usually appears in people over the age of 40, and tends to have a more gradual onset. In most cases, glucose levels in the blood can be controlled by diet, or diet and tablets, although sometimes insulin injections may be needed. About 90 per cent of diabetics are non-insulin dependent.
What causes diabetes?

In type 1 diabetes, the insulin-producing beta cells are destroyed by an autoimmune process, whereby the body's immune system its defence mechanism against disease for some reason recognises the cells as being 'foreign' rather than 'self', and therefore attacks them. In susceptible individuals, this autoimmune process is thought to be influenced by environmental factors which are as yet unknown. Such susceptibility is genetically determined two genes have been identified that appear to put an individual at risk, but there are certain to be more genes involved. Type 2 diabetes is thought to be due both to defects in the islet beta cells, so that less glucose is produced, and to an impairment of insulin's ability to stimulate the uptake of glucose in muscles and other tissues. The cause of this insulin resistance has not yet been fully established, but may involve defects in the action of insulin after it has bound to the insulin receptor on the surface of cells. There is a genetic influence, as type 2 diabetes tends to run in families even more strongly than type 1 diabetes, and several genes are likely to be involved. But increasing age, obesity and a sedentary lifestyle also increase the risk of type 2 diabetes.

How is diabetes treated?

Treatments aim to keep the level of blood glucose as normal as possible. For type 1 diabetes, this involves regular injections of insulin, a regulated diet and the careful monitoring of blood glucose levels. As people with type 2 diabetes still produce some insulin, diet alone is often effective, although oral antidiabetic drugs and insulin injections may also be required. Regular exercise is usually recommended as it helps the body to use blood glucose.
What are the long-term complications?

All diabetics are at risk from complications, although the risk is reduced if blood glucose is well controlled. Complications include damage to the retina, kidney and peripheral nerves, while ulcers on the feet can develop into gangrene if untreated. High blood pressure and narrowing of the major arteries also increase the risk of heart disease and strokes.
Who discovered insulin?

The symptoms of diabetes were accurately described by the ancient Egyptians, Hindus, Chinese and Greeks. A firm connection between the pancreas and diabetes was made in 1889, when the German researcher Dr Minowski removed the pancreas from dogs and found that they became diabetic. In 1921, two Canadians, Frederick Banting and Charles Best, tested pancreatic extracts on depancreatised dogs and discovered the active ingredient insulin.