sedentary life, stress, nutrition and the virus, even in children – breaking latest news

I’m over 65,000 people from Bergamo suffer from diabetes. Twenty years ago they were less than half, 30,000 in all. This exponential trend, however, does not emerge only by looking at the province of Bergamo, but it is widespread throughout Italy: «In the space of twenty-five years, diabetics have gone from being just over a million and a half to around 4 million. And, every year, the patient population expands by virtue of 280,000 new diagnoses».

To draw the picture is Antonio Carlo Bossi, head of Diabetes at Humanitas Gavazzenion the occasion of World Diabetes Day, which falls on November 14th. «She was defined as “a pandemic within a pandemic” – comments Bossi -. At European level, growth ranging between 15% and 18% is expected over the next twenty years». The frequency of increase in diabetes does not spare developing countries either: “In sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia, especially in Bangladesh and Pakistan, an increase of 150% is expected”, continues the doctor of Humanitas Gavazzeni, a facility which, in collaboration with the Order of Surgeons and Dentists of the province, will host a training meeting on Saturday 19 November (reserved for specialists, booking required on www.humanitasedu.it) to explore issues related to the treatment of the disease.

Despite the gloomy estimates, just a little tweaking to stay away from diabetes. Starting, for example, by changing one’s eating habits and abandoning a sedentary lifestyle. «To improve your metabolism half an hour of physical activity is enough – explains Bossi -. Muscles consume excess sugars, which are not deposited in fat tissues. In any case, simple sugars such as honey, jams, various biscuits or sweet spreadable creams should not be consumed every day ».

The increase in cases is not only due to a greater sedentary lifestyle and an overeating based on carbohydrates. Among the causes there are also the increase in the average life of people, psychophysical stress and, since 2020, the pandemic. «In some patients the virus has caused an increase in blood sugar due to the release of large quantities of “cytokines” – explains Bossi -. And an aggressive action of Covid against pancreatic cells has been recognized that produce insulin.

Lockdowns and restrictions have also affected prevention and early diagnosis activities. «Cases of type 1 diabetes have grown in Italy – observes the doctor -, autoimmune disease in children who, after the pandemic, arrived in the emergency room with a state of severity of diabetes greater than in previous years, probably due to delayed diagnoses. Fortunately, research has developed new categories of drugs that are increasingly effective in keeping blood sugar under control. But we must not limit ourselves to a purely therapeutic approach».

Risk factors associated with diabetes include obesity (or being overweight), high blood pressure, and high blood fat levels. «All indicators that should lead to deepen one’s state of health around the age of 45 or 50» specifies Bossi. On the other hand, it is more difficult for those who are not doctors to notice the initial stages of diabetes by analyzing the symptoms. «It’s a sneaky disease, often it doesn’t give any signs. For example, if a man of a certain age urinates frequently he may think of problems related to the prostate, but it can also be an early stage of diabetes. As well as, in women, the presence of recurrent cystitis. Or, for both sexes, the loss of teeth.

The importance of keeping blood sugar under control is confirmed by the effects that diabetes has on the body. «It affects small and large vessels, therefore all organs – concludes the head of Diabetes at Humanitas Gavazzeni -. Early treatment of the disease prevents strokes, heart attacks, kidney failure leading to dialysis or blindness. Treating diabetes, therefore, does not mean simply treating blood sugar ».