Adults aged 45 and above have a relatively higher health issue prevalence than their younger counterparts. They live with multiple chronic illnesses, including diabetes and hypertension, among other health problems. Their health is majorly influenced by the structure of their lives, whereby those without children and partners lead lives with more health issues than their counterparts with families (Margolis et al., 2022). Their health issues range from physical to mental problems, which critically compromise their well-being. Gender and educational attainment are also significant factors influencing their health and well-being. Unfortunately, their health status continues to deteriorate as the prevalence of various illnesses among them increases with time.
Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a health condition characterized by excessively high blood glucose due to the inability of the body to secret enough insulin to break down the glucose into energy for use in the body. T2D is highly harmful, making the patient’s body vulnerable to various health concerns (WHO, 2023). People with T2D often develop complications in their nerves and blood vessels. If left unaddressed, T2D can expose the body to other health problems such as stroke, kidney disease, and heart disease. Thus, identifying the risk factors for the condition is essential as it can help prevent its occurrence.
The first risk factor for type 2 diabetes is overweight. People who are overweight are likelier to be diabetic than their counterparts who maintain the recommended weight. Hence, individuals must manage their weight to remain safe from diabetes. Secondly, people aged 45 and above are more likely to be diabetic than their younger counterparts (Yuan & Larsson, 2023). Almost 7079 per 100,000 adults aged 45 and above will have type 2 diabetes by 2030 (Khan et al., 2020). The third risk factor for diabetes is genes. Individuals born in families with a diabetic history have a relatively higher risk of developing the condition at any stage of their lives than the rest of the population. Additionally, unhealthy lifestyle behaviors characterized by a lack of exercise increase the probability of developing diabetes. People should be aware of the risk factors to prevent lowering their risk of developing the respective health issues.
Managing T2D from its onset has been proven more effective than beginning the management and treatment remedies when it has already been developed. As soon as the first symptom/sign is detected, the patient must take preventive measures to manage the diabetes. Diabetic people often feel thirsty more regularly than their non-diabetic counterparts (WHO, 2023). When abnormal thirst begins, patients should seek medical attention and check their diabetic status. Secondly, diabetes often results in an intentional weight loss. When an individual develops the condition, their weight abruptly begins to drop, and they may become underweight when the condition advances. The third symptom of diabetes is persistent urination. An individual may also experience blurred vision since the veins in various parts of their bodies have been damaged by their diabetic condition. Additionally, loss of energy and feeling tired are often observed among diabetic patients (WHO, 2023). Loss of power in diabetic patients is caused by low energy production in the body since glucose in the blood is not sufficiently broken down to produce the energy required by the body.
Diagnosis of T2D is performed through running a sugar level test on the patient’s blood. A blood sample is drawn from the patient and tested for blood sugar level (WHO, 2023). Before taking the blood sample, the patient is fasted for at least 8 hours. When the test reveals that the patient’s blood sugar level is above 7mm/L, then the doctor will declare the patient diabetic. Once a patient is found to be living with type 2 diabetes, the patient may be provided with diabetes medications to help correct the insulin production and action in breaking down the sugar in the bloodstream. There are various medications, including alpha-glucosidase inhibitors, thiazolidinediones, and metformin. Should the condition be deemed severe and medication declared ineffective, the patient can be taken for insulin therapy, which is a relatively more powerful treatment approach for diabetes. In addition to the medications issued by doctors to help correct type 2 diabetes, healthy lifestyle remedies are often highly recommended (WHO, 2023). Through routine vigorous exercise, the patient can lower their body weight to the recommended status, which could help improve the effectiveness of the treatment. Similarly, patients are advised to take a proper diet of all essential nutrients and minerals while avoiding unhealthy foods such as those containing too high sugar.
Addressing type 2 diabetes has numerous advantages to the patients and society. First, patients’ quality of life improves significantly if their diabetic conditions are addressed and they recover. They become optimally productive again and feel much better than when they are overwhelmed by type 2 diabetes and have to retire from some of their routine duties. Secondly, addressing the condition eliminates their risk of developing chronic health issues like heart attack and kidney problems. Diabetes is a risk factor for multiple chronic diseases, and recovery from the condition relieves the patient of the high risks. Thirdly, diabetes treatment can reduce the patient and their families of the burden of managing the condition (Graziani & Tsakos, 2020). Patients with diabetes cannot work optimally and become unfit for high productivity. They also incur considerable costs in trying to live with the condition without getting overwhelmed.
Similarly, governments spend billions every year on diabetes medication and treatment. Successful diabetes treatment can significantly lower the extreme costs incurred by the respective stakeholders. Also, reduced productivity losses may be corrected through treatment and prevention of type 2 diabetes. It is, therefore, highly recommended that the public be taught the best life behaviors that can enhance their safety concerning diabetes.
Type 2 diabetes is, therefore, one of the most significant health risks among the adult population. Despite being a condition that can affect any population, middle-aged and older adults are most frequently affected. Diabetes causes health complications that affect the psychological and economic well-being of the patients. The risk factors for type 2 diabetes include, but are not limited to, overweight conditions, genetic factors, improper lifestyle of unhealthy feeding and lack of exercise, and age (45 and above). A blood sugar level of 7mm/L implies that the patient’s diabetic status is positive and treatment is necessary. Patients can either be helped through the administration of diabetes medications or the insulin therapy approach. Treatment and prevention of the condition could help eliminate the vast burden associated with the disease, including improved patient life quality and lowered economic costs on treatment and management of the disease.
Margolis, R., Chai, X., Verdery, A. M., & Newmyer, L. (2021). The Physical, Mental, and Social Health of Middle-Aged and Older Adults Without Close Kin in Canada. The Journals of Gerontology: Series B. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbab222
Graziani, F., & Tsakos, G. (2020). Patient‐based outcomes and quality of life. Periodontology 2000, 83(1), 277-294.
Khan, M., Hashim, M. J., King, J. K., Govender, R. D., Mustafa, H., & Al Kaabi, J. (2020). Epidemiology of type 2 diabetes—global burden of disease and forecasted trends. Journal of epidemiology and global health, 10(1), 107–111.
WHO. (2023). Diabetes. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/diabetes#:~:text=Type%202%20diabetes%20affects%20how,2%20diabetes%20is%20often%20preventable.
Yuan, S., & Larsson, S. C. (2020). An atlas on risk factors for type 2 diabetes: a wide-angled Mendelian randomization study. Diabetologia, 63, 2359-2371.