Aging : Silent Killers Of The Aging Body

Diabetes is a disease where the body is unable to produce or use insulin effectively. Insulin is needed for proper storage and use of carbohydrates. Without it, blood sugar levels can become too high or too low, resulting in a diabetic emergency. It affects about 7.8% of the population. The incidence of diabetes is known to increase with age. It’s the leading cause of end-stage renal disease in the US, and is the primary cause of blindness and foot and leg amputation. It is known to cause neuropathy in up to 70% of diabetic patients. Individuals with diabetes are twice as likely to develop cardiovascular disease. There are two types of diabetes: Type 1 and Type 2.

Diabetes, Diabetes Mellitus, is a chronic illness this means that it has no cure and the symptoms persist over a long period of time. This illness is a result of an imbalance of hormones, insulin, produced in the pancreas. Insulin plays an important role in how the body uses food. Insulin enables the cells in the bloodstream to absorb and use glucose for fuel. If the pancreas produces too little or no insulin or if the insulin doesn’t work properly the person may become diabetic. Therefore, diabetics are not able to properly convert food into fuels needed by the body to function, which can seriously lead to physical consequences.

Public health emphasizes the importance of prevention and proactively taking care of one’s body. As people grow older, they must follow certain guidelines to ensure that they age healthily and successfully. One of the biggest concerns facing the aging population is chronic diseases. Chronic diseases are long term diseases that have a slow progression. Once chronic diseases pass “certain symptomatic or diagnostic thresholds,” they become a permanent aspect of an individual’s life because “medical and personal regimens can sometimes control but can rarely cure them” (Albert and Freeman 105). One chronic condition that is a cause of concern is diabetes. Diabetes is not only one of the leading causes of death in the over 65 population but

American Diabetes Association has a long history of research support and engagement. The first direct ADA research were awarded in 1952, and in the late 1970s, the ADA research funding was centralized into a program model after that of the National Institute of Health (NIH), with operational and scientific oversight housed in the national office. Founded in October 1994, the ADA Foundation was created to substantially accelerate the Association 's ability to raise major gifts to directly fund diabetes research. Now the ADA is a volunteer-driven organization, with about 90 local offices above the United States. The goal of the ADA is to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes. The burdens of diabetes are enormous and escalating at an alarming rate. About 26 million Americans have the disease, and over 10% of the total adult population and over 25% of the population aged 65 years and older. If present trends continue, as many as one in three Americans adult will be diagnosed with diabetes by 2050; in majority of cases will include older adults and racial ethnic minorities.

According to the American Diabetes Association, more Americans die each year from diabetes than from AIDS and breast cancer combined. As a result, researchers have extensively studied the causes, treatments, and interventions for diabetes. Despite efforts to ameliorate its effects, diabetes remains a prevalent danger in society. In 2014, 7% of U.S. adults were living with diagnosed diabetes (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2016). In Louisiana that number was even higher - 10.4% of adults have been diagnosed with diabetes. Breaking it down by age group, however, in Louisiana 3% of people aged 18 and 44 have been diagnosed, and 15.2% of people 45-64. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2015a). Several studies have predicted future rates of diabetes both in the United States and worldwide - nearly all of these studies reached a similar conclusion: rates of diabetes will continue to rise (Boyle et al., 2001).

The rate of diabetes in the United States is one of the highest compared to other developed countries. An estimate of 9.3% of the population have diabetes, of those with diabetes 27.8% have yet to be diagnosed (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2014). This means that approximately 8.1 million people are currently living with diabetes, but are unaware of it. As of 2012, 12.3% of people with diabetes were 20 years old or older, the largest population diagnosed with diabetes were adults 65 years old or older. 25.9% of this population lives with diabetes (CDC, 2014). On a national level, the CDC have launched initiatives that focus on prevention and disease management. The National Diabetes Prevention Program is an example of one such initiative. This program focuses on lifestyle changes,

Uncontrolled diabetes can affect nearly every organ of the body; of which, heart disease and kidney failure are most commonly impacted. Known as diabetes mellitus, a collective term for various blood abnormalities, the term diabetes refers to either a scarcity of insulin in the body or the body’s inability to accept insulin. Though the symptoms of diabetes are manageable, many are unaware as to having it. According to the CDC report “2011 Diabetes Fact Sheet,” approximately 6 million people in the United States have undiagnosed diabetes. Undetected, diabetes can become deadly. In a recent World Health Organization report “Diabetes Action Now: An Initiative of the World Health Organization and the International Diabetes Federation,” it

"The facts are clear: The diabetes epidemic sweeping the U.S. is hitting the African American community particularly hard, according to doctors." (2) Diabetes is defined as, "A disease that affects the body's ability to produce or respond to insulin, a hormone that allows blood glucose (blood sugar) to enter the cells of the body and be used for energy." (1) There are two types of diabetes: type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes, which usually begins during childhood or adolescence, "Is a condition characterized by high blood glucose levels caused by total lack of insulin. This occurs when the body's immune system attacks the insulin producing beta cells in the pancreas

For this assignment, I interviewed a thirty-two year old African American male with type-one diabetes. I learned having this particular disease is difficult to manage; nutritious eating, exercise, watching their disorder, taking medication and reducing their risk for problems are usually part of your their day-to-day routine. It seems that all of this is pretty overwhelming and there are two main types of diabetes (type-one and type-two). This particular illness distresses your body’s capability to generate or use insulin. Insulin is a hormone. When your body turns the food you eat into energy, it’s usually referred to as glucose or sugar. If you produce little or no insulin, or are insulin resistant, too much sugar rests in your blood. Blood glucose levels are greater than standard for individuals with diabetes. The cause of diabetes is unknown. Genetics, diet, obesity and lack of exercise may play a role in developing diabetes, specifically in cases of type-two diabetes.

In the United States People 65 years or older has diabetes, and the aging in general population is significant for diabetes become epidemic, diabetes not limited to impact the elderly from working also has the highest mortality rate. In addition elderly with diabetes has hither risk for chronic heart disease and kidney disease (Sure Kirkman, 2012). The number of cases of diabetes type 2 in the United States increase with the increase of age. In 2007 and 2008 national survey data showed “diabetes was 18% higher among Asian Americans, 66% higher among Hispanics, and 77% higher

This paper will discuss the relationship between the aging process and key diseases associated with aging. Examples of aging-associated diseases include cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and neurodegenerative diseases (López-Otín, Blasco, Partridge, Serrano, & Kroemer, 2013, p. 1194). Of these, we will discuss in-depth recent studies that have linked aging with Alzheimer’s disease, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. These diseases affect a significant proportion of the population over the age of 65 and place a considerable burden on the American health care system. Therefore, a better understanding of how they are related to aging and each other can result in the adoption of innovative treatments and declined risk for older adults.

Diabetes is a common chronic disease that causes problems in the way the blood uses food. The inability of the body to transform the sugar into energy is called diabetes. Glucose, a simple sugar, is the primary source of fuel for our bodies. When food is digested, some of the food will be converted into glucose which is then transferred from the blood into the cells however, insulin, which is produced by beta cells in the pancreas is needed. In individuals with diabetes, this process is impaired.

There is no cure from diabetes, but it does not mean that it cannot be managed and controlled. If left untreated, diabetes causes serious implications, such as hypertension, kidney damage, blindness, stroke and dangerous problems that affect extremities and often lead to amputation. Diabetes is quite common among seniors over the age of 65. In order to prevent the disease progression, as well as to boost quality of life, it is important to monitor one’s condition and work on improving it.

Elderly diabetics often have medical, socioeconomic, or environmental factors that impact on their Diabetes. The standard treatments for Diabetes-diet control, exercise, and pharmacologic therapy- may be complicated in the elderly by several factors that are more prevalent in this age-group than in younger

Health objectives and campaigns are designed to set the foundation for addressing health care issues prevalent across the nation. Diabetes is a disease that affects millions of people. Due to the complications that can often go along with diabetes, public health policies are implemented to clarify issues that will improve the health of individuals. As presented in the health campaign part one, there are numerous government agencies, which exploit health information on federal, state, and local levels to develop policies and allocate resources to programs and necessary organizations. Many models and systems are used to manage diabetes and bring forth