Diabetes alert: Beware of dementia and cancer if you have elevated blood sugar levels

High blood sugar levels lead to diabetes. This is a metabolic disease that can cause many complications like kidney damage, dementia, heart disease and even some cancer if not controlled. Now according to researchers, the rate of heart attacks, strokes and other cardiovascular complications has improved among people with diabetes over the past 20 years. This narrows the gap in cardiovascular mortality rates between individuals with and without diabetes. According to the International Diabetes Federation, more than 463 million adults worldwide suffer from this condition. The World Health Organisation (WHO) says that adults with diabetes have a two- to three-fold increased risk of heart attacks and strokes compared to adults who do not have the condition.Also Read – Diabetes checklist: Are you making these glucometer mistakes while checking blood sugar at home?

But the new study from the University of Western Australia found that the rate of cardiovascular complications among individuals with diabetes has declined over the past two decades. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism published this study.Also Read – Can people with diabetes keep fast during Ramadan?

About the study

Researchers looked at data from two phases of the ‘Fremantle Diabetes Study’, which took place 15 years apart. The first phase, which ran from 1993 to 2001, compared data on 1,291 individuals with type 2 diabetes to 5,159 residents without the condition. During the second phase from 2008 to 2016, researchers collected data from 1,509 participants with type 2 diabetes and compared outcomes to 6,036 individuals who did not have the condition. They used a database of hospital records and death records for western Australia to identify cardiovascular complications and deaths among study participants. At the end they found that people with diabetes in the Fremantle Diabetes Study’s second phase were less likely to experience a heart attack or stroke, be hospitalised for heart failure, or be hospitalised for a lower extremity amputation than their counterparts in the first phase.Also Read – Want to control your blood sugar levels? Have a healthy dinner

What experts say

Researchers of the above-mentioned study say that while the outlook for people with diabetes in developed countries is improving significantly, the death rate from all causes among people with diabetes is worse than the general population. Conditions like cancer and dementia continue to be an issue for people with diabetes later in life. So they need to take measures to bring down their risks of these conditions.

What you can do to keep cancer and dementia away

Cancer and dementia are complications of diabetes that you may have to face later on in life. But if you make some lifestyle changes now, you can significantly bring down your risk of these conditions. You need to eat right because nutrition plays an important role in the development of all health issues. Choose your foods with care and try to get as many vitamins and minerals in one meal as possible. Go more for fresh, seasonal foods and have a lot of fibre-rich foods. Other than this, you need to make exercise a part of your life. Physical activity is very important for your overall well-being. It will boost mental health and keep many diabetes complications away. Other than this, sleep well and be social.

Published : May 2, 2020 5:30 pm

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Source: The HealthSite