What is Diabetes?

Diabetes is a disease in which the body does not
produce or properly use insulin.

Insulin is a hormone that changes sugar, starches and other food into energy
needed for daily life.

There are two main types of diabetes.

• Type 1 diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes. It is usually seen in young people.
• Type 2 diabetes - usually non insulin-dependent diabetes. It tends to affect adults over 40 and overweight people.

There are also other types of diabetes.

• Pregnancy diabetes. This is known as gestational diabetes. It's associated with pregnancy and symptoms usually disappear after the birth. If you get gestational diabetes, you have an increased risk of developing one of the main types of diabetes later in life.
• Secondary diabetes. This is when diabetes is caused as the result of another condition, eg inflammation of the pancreas, or by the use of certain medication such as diuretics or steroids (the most common cause).