Diabetes: An all too common disease

26 April 2017 - Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disease characterized by a permanently elevated blood glucose level and is associated with a variety of secondary complications such as stroke, cardiovascular disease, circulatory disorders and renal insufficiencies. The pathophysiological cause for diabetes is an inadequate insulin release or insulin resistance, which interferes with the glucose absorption from the blood into the body cells.

In its first worldwide diabetes report, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that around 422 million people were affected by diabetes in 2014. Over the course of the last decades, the number of diabetes cases has dramatically increased. Since 1980, the amount of diabetes patients has quadrupled and some studies predict that the number of cases could double in the next ten years. By 2030, diabetes could be 7th in the world's leading causes of death. Already, diabetes and its consequences generate immense costs to the health system.

Diabetes mellitus type 2, in particular, is of great relevance to society as a whole, as it affects 90% to 95% of all diabetics. Originally it was referred to as "adult-onset diabetes", as it develops in patients mostly above the age of 40. However, this term is now considered outdated as more and more children, adolescents and young adults are suffering from this type of diabetes. In addition to a genetic predisposition, our lifestyles influence the occurrence of the disease to a great extent. Especially obesity, malnutrition and lack of exercise all increase the risk of diabetes.

Early diagnosis, as well as preventive measures, play a central role in fighting the disease. Our seca mBCA is a particularly valuable supporting tool for the early diagnosis of diabetes. By using bioimpedance analysis (BIA), the tool measures the patient's exact body composition. The results of the BIA provide the GP with important information for their assessment of the patient's risk for diabetes.

Studies have shown that the risk is associated with the distribution of fat deposits within the body. Especially the intra-abdominal fat, which surrounds the internal organs, appears to influence the development of insulin resistance more than subcutaneous fat. The problem with intra-abdominal fat is that it is not immediately visible and that only complex methods are able to measure it. However, our seca mBCA can not only determine the proportion, but also the distribution of any adipose tissue, which might reveal a starting visceral obesity (Link: TOFI - slim on the outside, obese on the inside).

By using seca's mBCA, the GP can better assess a patient's individual risk of diabetes and initiate measures before the actual onset of the disease. The seca mBCA can not only be used preventively, but also after the onset of diabetes, in order to check up on the patient's body composition on a regular basis, encouraging the patient to change their way of life. Ultimately, type-2-diabetics benefit most by losing weight, changing their diet and increasing their daily physical activity, at any stage. By doing so, they can reduce their risks of secondary diseases related to diabetes.

For more information on the use of our seca mBCA in the field of diabetology, go here.

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Diabetes: An all too common disease

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