1a. Can everyone chose healthy eating to prevent Type 2 Diabetes?
People usually say that we are what we eat, as a means to draw attention to the quality of our food intake. A healthy lifestyle is undoubtedly a strong ally to one’s well-being. However, the right to healthy eating seems to be rather one-sided, marginalizing those that cannot afford healthy living. There are communities that are forced to develop and live with diabetes, in a moving fast-forward world where technological wonders and advancements amaze.
Research has shown that low and middle income countries represent the vast majority of the overall number of people with type two diabetes (International Diabetes Federation, n.d). So, it becomes evident that people that do not have the necessary economic means to support themselves and/or their families face a real challenge, in terms of getting themselves and/or families food quality. Since they cannot afford healthy eating, their diet is obligatory poor. It is interesting to note that ever since the 1970s, when middle-class families moved out of the urban areas and decided to reside in the suburbs, the market offering healthy foods moved out with them (Flournoy, 2006), leaving low-income families unable to purchase healthy food and have a balanced diet. So, with distinctive lack of money to transport, poor people and families had to turn to local food providers that operated under a completely different concept than restaurants with healthy foods. In particular, they offered fewer healthy foods, like canned food and small portion, if at all, of meat and fish, in much more expensive prices than average, so poor people could not afford (Flournoy, 2006). Of course, no one wonders why there are three times more supermarkets in areas where wealthy, middle-to-upper income white people live, compared to black and low income communities (Flournoy, 2006). Studies have shown that in neighborhoods where there are many supermarkets, people tend to consume more fruit and vegetables, as opposed to areas with a few supermarkets or none (Flournoy, 2006), so, once again, health seems to be the privilege of the wealthy ones.
If one adds the inactive lifestyles that characterize modern people and the countless hours in front of a TV or a computer screen, either due to work requirements of leisure, one can tell that people nowadays have forgotten to live healthily.
1b. Can everyone chose healthy living to prevent Type 2 Diabetes?
Moderate exercise is recommended for practically every disease. No one can deny the benefits of regular exercise, since the benefits are obvious. We simply feel good when we increase our activity levels, even by a bit. Any lack of exercise might result to health conditions. William Dietz, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Obesity National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, among others, mentions that children living in poorer communities had an elevated risk of becoming overweight (Dietz, 2009). He also said that childhood obesity can become a chronic condition, since an obese child can become an obese adult later on and that adults who used to be obese during their childhood, can have earlier onset of diabetes (Dietz, 2009). Not to mention, that obesity is a core factor for cardiovascular disease, given that 70 percent of obese young individuals have “at least one additional factor for cardiovascular disease” (Dietz, 2009).
In regards type two diabetes, or also mentioned as “adult-onset” diabetes, it is the type of diabetes that was extremely rare in children and adolescents and about two decades ago (Dietz, 2009). Now, about half the cases of type two diabetes are children and adolescents, in some communities (Dietz, 2009).
If one has central obesity, meaning extra weight around their waist, rather than any other body part, run a higher risk of heart disease, as it is proven that the fat gathered in the abdominal area help increase bad cholesterol levels, or LDL (nih.gov). The excess fat is stored inside the blood vessel walls and force the system to develop insulin resistance; hence help develop diabetes (nih.gov).
2. How to Prevent Cardiovascular Disease
The two most common types of cardiovascular disease in people with diabetes are cerebral vascular disease and coronary artery disease (nih.gov). another disease that can occur to people with diabetes is the peripheral arterial disease, where the blood vessels in the legs are either blocked or narrowed, letting blood circulate with difficulty in them (nih.gov).
Consequently, it becomes obvious that keeping the blood vessels and heart healthy is extremely important, not only for type two diabetes. For that reason it is important an individual that has type two diabetes watches their nutrition and have adequate physical activity on a regular basis to help keep weight under control (nih.gov). Also, smoking should be banned from everyone’s life and cholesterol should be kept below 300 milligrams per day, while trans fat should be kept into a minimum (nih.gov). Moreover, it should be wise to keep blood glucose and blood pressure monitored and controlled (nih.gov).
Conclusion
Type two diabetes is a serious disease that affects many millions of people worldwide, with future estimates that raise great concern. It seems that modern living has made people turn away from healthy lifestyles and healthy eating. People tend to spend numerous hours either in front of a computer screen working or a TV, spending their time, which both lead to individuals living lives that lack basic physical activity. Studies have shown that regular exercise and healthy eating, alongside reduced smoking and weight control can indeed help prevent type two diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Finally, keeping blood pressure, blood glucose and blood cholesterol under control, can certainly become a strong defense against type two diabetes, heart disease, and many more others.
References:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (n.d), Diabetes Public Health Resource: Prevent Diabetes. Last updated: May 14, 2012. Retrieved Oct. 9, 2013 from: http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/consumer/prevent.htm
Dietz, William (2009), CDC Congressional Testimony Innovative Childhood Obesity Practices. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved Oct.9, 2013 from: http://www.cdc.gov/washington/testimony/2009/t20091216.htm
Flournoy, Rebecca (2006), Healthy Foods, Strong Communities: Fresh fruits and veggies are good for more than just your health. Retrieved Oct.9, 2013 from: http://www.nhi.org/online/issues/147/healthyfoods.html
International Diabetes Federation (n.d), IDF diabetes Atlas (5th Edition): The Global Burden. Retrieved Oct.9, 2013 from: http://www.idf.org/diabetesatlas/5e/the-global-burden
Medline Plus (n.d), Type 2 diabetes. U.S National Library of Medicine & National institutes of Health. Retrieved Oct. 9, 2013 from: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000313.htm
National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse (n.d), Diabetes, Heart Disease, and Stroke. U.S Department of Health and Human Services. Retrieved Oct.9, 2013 from: http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/stroke/
