Let's Talk About Diabetes - More Health & Safety on Harmony Square

Type 2 diabetes is reaching near-epidemic levels. It is a serious health condition affecting millions of people and increasing their risk for additional health issues.

More young people have been diagnosed with diabetes than ever before. This live-action video program is designed to increase a student’s awareness of the disease by presenting information that will help them better understand diabetes and more importantly know the risk factors to prevent getting the disease.

Colorful animation and vivid graphics help demonstrate how energy gets to your body’s cells, and the roles of the pancreas, glucose, blood and insulin. Student’s will understand step by step how the process should work, and then, how it works for a person with diabetes.

The program explores the warning signs of diabetes and how new technologies can help treat the disease. In addition, children will learn how they can help lowering their risk of getting type 2 disease with healthy lifestyle choices such as eating healthy foods and exercising.

Learning Objectives:

After viewing this program, student’s will:

• understand the difference between type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes
• recognize that diabetes is a disease that affects how the body uses glucose
• realize there are genetic and lifestyle factors related to getting diabetes
• learn the warning signs of diabetes
• understand different treatment options for people with diabetes
• Learn to make health lifestyle choices

Diabetes is a group of metabolic disorders characterized by a high blood sugar level over a prolonged period. Symptoms of high blood sugar include frequent urination, increased thirst, and increased hunger. If left untreated, diabetes can cause many complications. Acute complications can include diabetic ketoacidosis, hyperosmolar hyperglycemic state, or death. Serious long-term complications include cardiovascular disease, stroke, chronic kidney disease, foot ulcers, and damage to the eyes.

Diabetes is due to either the pancreas not producing enough insulin, or the cells of the body not responding properly to the insulin produced. There are three main types of diabetes mellitus:

Type 1 diabetes results from the pancreas's failure to produce enough insulin due to loss of beta cells. This form was previously referred to as "insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus" (IDDM) or "juvenile diabetes". The loss of beta cells is caused by an autoimmune response. The cause of this autoimmune response is unknown.

Type 2 diabetes begins with insulin resistance, a condition in which cells fail to respond to insulin properly. As the disease progresses, a lack of insulin may also develop. This form was previously referred to as "non insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus" (NIDDM) or "adult-onset diabetes". The most common cause is a combination of excessive body weight and insufficient exercise.
Gestational diabetes is the third main form, and occurs when pregnant women without a previous history of diabetes develop high blood sugar levels.

Prevention and treatment involve maintaining a healthy diet, regular physical exercise, a normal body weight, and avoiding use of tobacco. Control of blood pressure, maintaining proper foot care, and eye care are important for people with the disease.Type 1 diabetes must be managed with insulin injections. Type 2 diabetes may be treated with medications with or without insulin. Insulin and some oral medications can cause low blood sugar. Weight loss surgery in those with obesity is sometimes an effective measure in those with type 2 diabetes. Gestational diabetes usually resolves after the birth of the baby.

As of 2017, an estimated 425 million people had diabetes worldwide, with type 2 diabetes making up about 90% of the cases. This represents 8.8% of the adult population, with equal rates in both women and men. Trend suggests that rates will continue to rise. Diabetes at least doubles a person's risk of early death. In 2017, diabetes resulted in approximately 3.2 to 5.0 million deaths. The global economic cost of diabetes related health expenditure in 2017 was estimated at US$727 billion. In the United States, diabetes cost nearly US$245 billion in 2012. Average medical expenditures among people with diabetes are about 2.3 times higher.