Diabetes Introduction
Diabetes Introduction Diabetes mellitus is a chronic condition caused by too much glucose (sugar) in your blood. Your blood sugar level can be too high if your body does not make enough of the hormone insulin. Insulin is produced by the pancreas (a gland behind the stomach) and moves glucose out of the blood and into cells, where it is broken down to produce energy. Diabetes in pregnancy (gestational diabetes)
Some pregnant women have such high levels of glucose in their blood that their body cannot produce enough insulin to absorb it all. This is known as gestational diabetes. It is quite rare affecting less than 1 in 20 pregnant women. Gestational diabetes usually disappears after the baby is born. However, women who develop gestational diabetes are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes later in life.
Diabetes affects 2 million people in the UK and there may be as many as a million more people who have the condition but do not know about it. The risk of developing type 2 diabetes is increased if it runs in your family. Nine out of ten people with diabetes have type 2 diabetes and over 80% of these people are overweight. However, symptoms can develop slowly over time, or not at all. Routine screenings are the most effective way to diagnose the condition.
