Diabetes – Prevalence and Prevention

Today, about 3 million Canadians live with diabetes. The Canadian Diabetes Association estimates another 6 million are prediabetic.

The number of Canadians with type 2 diabetes is growing dramatically for a few reasons:

• The population is aging.
• Obesity is on the rise.
• Canadian lifestyles are more sedentary.
• Aboriginal people are three to five times more likely than the general population to develop type 2 diabetes.
• Almost 80% of new Canadians come from populations that are at higher risk for type 2 diabetes. These include people of Aboriginal, Hispanic, Asian, South Asian and African descent.

So what’s prediabetes?

Prediabetes is identified when the blood glucose is above normal, but not high enough to be considered diabetes.

Exercise, along with healthy eating and weight loss, can prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes. In one large study, people at risk of type 2 diabetes reduced their risk by 58% by exercising moderately for 30 minutes a day and losing just 5 to 7 per cent of their body weight. In people age 60 and older, the risk was cut by almost 71%.

Myths of Diabetes

Diabetes affects the young and old, rich and poor, from cultures all across the world. The World Health Organization preaches how diabetes has increasingly become a lifestyle-related disease. Awareness is an important part of the process working towards a solution to stem the growing prevalence.

While any discussion on the topic can be seen as a positive step towards changing people's lifestyles, misinformation often leads to the spread of unproductive myths. Take a look below at some common myths of diabetes and learn which tips are valuable and which ones need to be reeled in.

Myth: Eating too much sugar causes diabetes

The truth: Not really but consuming a lot of sugar can have an impact.

Type 1 diabetes is caused by genetics and unknown factors that trigger the onset. Type 2 is caused by genetics and lifestyle.

Being overweight increases the risk of developing diabetes and a high-calorie diet contributes to weight gain. Research shows that drinking sugary drinks is linked to type 2 diabetes. 

Myth: People who have diabetes are more likely to catch colds and other illnesses.

The truth: People with diabetes are no more likely to catch colds or other viruses than anyone else. However, having any type of illness can make diabetes more difficult to control. It's recommended that people who have diabetes get a flu shot each year.

Myth: If your doctor tells you need to start using insulin to control your type 2 diabetes, it means you're not managing your diabetes properly. 

The truth: For the most part, type 2 diabetes is a progressive disease. When first diagnosed, many people with type 2 diabetes can keep their blood glucose at a healthy level just by using oral medications. But over time, the body produces less insulin and as a result, oral medications may not be enough.