Diabetes Support

Diabetes can seem to be an overwhelming disease because it impacts so many areas of your daily life. It's important to have support from family, friends and from other people with diabetes. Don't underestimate the importance of peer support.

The incidence of diabetes is increasing all around the world and becoming an alarming situation. The number of existing cases and the number of new cases are both increasing. Most of this increase is not due to the growing population of the elderly but rather to a middle aged population and the youth. According to WebMD, "There has been a 10-fold increase in the number of children with Type 2 diabetes during the past five years." Over 85% of the children with Type II are also overweight.

Diabetes is a disease that is related to the improper function of energy metabolism in the body. Generally, there are two types of diabetes: Type I and Type II. Type I diabetes commonly occurs in younger people. It is a condition in which the body is unable to produce insulin and so the blood sugar level of the person can then rise to extremely dangerous levels. Type II diabetes is more common and accounts for about 90% of all diabetic patients. This second type usually doesn't show up until later in life and it is associated with overweight people and people with a family history of the disease. About 30% of people who have Type II diabetes eventually require insulin, but often it can be controlled through diet, exercise and medication.