Most college students are far too busy to concern themselves with anything but school. Most of us hold jobs, commute to school, and have obligations to our families and friends. These are just a few things we juggle as we try to find time to fit these into our schedules while still being able to write that looming term paper or study for that upcoming final. We’re often so busy that some things are neglected and simply forgotten. Aside from the recent H1N1 scare and the inevitable arrival of the flu season, most college students aren’t overly concerned with their health. This inattention can be deceptive however. Although swine flu has dominated health headlines, it is certainly not the only medical issue students should be aware of.
According to a Nov. 2009 U.S. News article, it is an all too common misconception that a disease as serious and deadly as diabetes, which kills more people than breast cancer and HIV/AIDS combined, is something that only older people get. Many people are also unaware of the risk factors that can lead to a development of the disease, not to mention the sheer number of diabetes cases on a global and national scale. The American Diabetes Association estimates that 23.6 million people suffer from diabetes in the United States and the International Diabetes Federation believes that there are 246 million adults affected by diabetes worldwide, with numbers expected to rise sharply in future decades.
Reputable and reliable medical websites like Mayo clinic and WebMD provide a simple and basic definition of the disease. Simply put, it is a condition that affects the body’s production of insulin or the body’s response to it. Insulin is a hormone produced in the pancreas that allows glucose, or sugar, to be absorbed into the body’s cells, a process that fuels and energizes the body. When someone has diabetes, this process is faulty and unresponsive.
There are two basic types of diabetes, types 1 and 2. No matter which type a person may have, there is always an excessive amount of glucose in their bloodstream, although for varying reasons. Type 1 diabetes, much more rare than Type 2, affects the pancreas’ production of insulin. The lack of insulin prohibits glucose from entering the body’s cells and stays in the bloodstream, where it can lead to serious and deadly complications. It’s also important to note that Type 1 diabetes typically appears during adolescence but can develop at any age.
Type 2 diabetes, more commonplace, affects the way the body metabolizes glucose. In other words, the body becomes resistant to insulin and doesn’t transport glucose. Although scientists aren’t sure why the body builds a resistance to insulin in diabetics, they believe that excess weight and inactivity are important factors.
What makes diabetes such an alarming condition is that scientists still, despite exhaustive research, have not found a cure or figured out whether genetics factors into the equation. They have been able to, however, develop effective treatments to manage and in some cases prevent it. Both types require getting regular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight and closely monitoring blood sugar, Type 1 specifically requires regular administration of insulin. As shown, diabetes is a serious condition that can produce life-threatening complications and is a misunderstood condition that affects millions of people. Fortunately, however, it’s also manageable and many people that have it can lead normal and healthy lives. As perpetually occupied students, it’s easy to neglect what we eat and our overall lifestyles in general, but we should remember that NEIU offers a free P.E. complex on campus and a cafeteria that offers several healthy food options. Although we’re often overburdened and stressed, it’s important to keep in mind that Swine Flu isn’t the only thing we should be concerned with on the medical front.