Obesity and bad lifestyle habits, the most common causes of diabetes

Obesity, physical inactivity and poor nutrition increase the number of diabetics every year. We are not aware of the fatal consequences of this chronic disease. Diabetes is a condition that is triggered when the body does not produce enough insulin or does not use it effectively. There are several types: Type 1 diabetes is the most common childhood illness. The pancreas does not produce insulin, so an excess of blood sugar is created, which is why it necessary to provide the body with injected insulin.

According to Oscar Boullosa, coordinator of the Diabetes Unit of the Quirónsalud Hospital Torrevieja, “type 2 is the most common, 90% of the patients suffer with this type of diabetes, who are generally over 40 years of age, and the body does not produce enough insulin to absorb the glucose or the cells are resistant to it.These individuals require a balanced diet and exercise”. This multidisciplinary unit monitors all reviews of diabetic patients annually ensuring disease control.

There is also gestational diabetes, a disease that forces a strict diet and, in some cases, medication. Usually this diabetes disappears after childbirth, although the affected women and their children are usually more likely to develop the disease.

In Spain, about 26,000 children under the age of 15 suffer from type 1 diabetes, 13% of all diabetics. Type 2 is estimated to have more than 5,500,000 people, of whom 43% are undiagnosed, that is, they do not know they have the disease. Figures that are increasing and indicate that in 20 years numbers could be increased by up to 55%.

New life habits, sedentary lifestyle and poor diet are becoming the worst enemies of this chronic disease. These customs oblige, due to lack of time, to have a diet based on fast food and in many cases abandon a diet rich in vegetables, meat of good quality, fish, etc.

Experts call for the prevention campaigns needed to alleviate the increase in type 2 cases. Campaigns that promote a healthy lifestyle and will not only reduce the number of diabetics, but also many other pathologies associated with poor eating habits.

The possible cure for diabetes

One in six adults are obese and one in four children is overweight, an excellent breeding ground for the disease. Diabetes can be cured and the data is clear: more than 70% of obese patients undergoing bariatric or metabolic surgery cease to be diabetic. “The effectiveness is immediate in patients with type 2 diabetes, who usually stop using insulin and medication in the weeks following the intervention,” explains Dr. Juan Luján, head of service and head of the Unit for Obesity and General Surgery and Digestive System at Quirónsalud Hospital Murcia.

There are many cases of patients who have resorted to metabolic surgery, which acts on the area of the digestive tract where all the hormones that induce the metabolism of insulin are involved. This intervention is especially successful in patients with a BMI greater than 35 with type 2 diabetes.

Prevention campaigns

To Mark World Diabetes Day Quironsalud hospital Torrevieja will offer Free blood sugar level tests and body mass index (BMI) next Monday, November 14^th. The tests will be in the following locations:

Monday 14^th Quirónsalud Hospital Torrevieja will carry out free tests to measure blood sugar levels and BMI Body mass index together with the Association of diabetes in front of the casino Torrevieja where the hospital will also have an informative table with information on prevention from 10am to 2pm. At 12 o’clock balloons will be released.

Monday 14^th Quirónsalud hospital Torrevieja will carry out free tests to measure blood sugar levels and BMI Body mass index from 10am a 12pm in the medical centres Quirónsalud Santa Pola y Orihuela.

Tuesday 15^th likewise, there will be free tests at the Quirónsalud Medical Clinic located at the Marjal Resort (Crevillente) from 9am to 12pm.

Thursday 17^th  Quirónsalud Hospital Torrevieja and the Association of Diabetics of Torrevieja will offer a talk titled “Obesity and bad lifestyle habits, the most common causes of diabetes.” at the Casino in Torrevieja at 19.00 hours.

ABOUT QUIRÓNSALUD
Quirónsalud is the largest hospital group in Spain and the third largest in Europe. It is present in 13 autonomous communities has the most advanced technology and has more than 6,200 beds in the 80 centres, like the Jimenez Diaz Foundation, Ruber, Hospital La Luz, University Hospital Quirónsalud Madrid, Teknon, Dexeus, Polyclinic Gipuzkoa, etc., as well as a large team of highly specialized professionals and international prestige.

We work in promoting and teaching (seven of our hospitals are universities) medical and scientific research (we have the Health Research Institute of the FJD, a unique private research centre accredited by the Ministry of Research, Development and Innovation).

In addition, our healthcare service is organized into units and transversal networks to optimize the experience accumulated in the various centers and clinical translation of our investigations. Currently, Quirónsalud is developing more than 1,600 research projects throughout Spain and many of the centers are market leaders in this field, being pioneers in different specialties such as cardiology, endocrinology, gynecology, neurology and oncology, among others.