The statistics

Diabetes mellitus is one of the most common chronic disorders in the UK, affecting people of all age groups.  The prevalence of diabetes increases with age - at least one in ten older people resident in the UK have diabetes.  In the Tendring area, diabetes has a higher than average prevalence, mainly due to its elderly population.  Diabetes is a leading cause of blindness, kidney failure and limb amputation and greatly increases the risk of coronary heart disease and stroke.

The causes

Diabetes mellitus is caused by a deficiency of, or insensitivity to, the hormone insulin, resulting in an inability to control the use and storage of glucose - blood glucose levels therefore rise.  There are two main types of diabetes:

• Type 1 diabetes - previously referred to as an insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) results from an absolute deficiency of insulin and more commonly presents acutely before the age of 30.
• Type 2 diabetes - previously referred to as non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) results from a relative deficiency of, or insensitivity to, insulin and is common in people that are overweight or have a family history of diabetes.

Although the onset of type 2 diabetes is usually less dramatic than that of type 1 diabetes, the long-term complications are similar and equally devastating.

There is increasing evidence to confirm that good control can prevent or delay the onset of the complications of diabetes.  The impact of these complications can also be greatly reduced if they are detected early and appropriately managed.