Health: Diabetes Problem and Solutions

Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs when the pancreas is no longer able to make insulin, or when the body cannot make good use of the insulin it produces. With diabetes, the body does not make enough insulin or cannot use it as well as it should. When there is not enough insulin or cells stop responding to it, too much blood sugar stays in your bloodstream. Over time, that can cause serious health problems, such as heart disease, vision loss, and kidney disease. Diabetes is one of the main causes of death in Mexico, according to the World Health Organization. The disease kills about 80, 000 lives each year, and forecasters say the health problem is expected to get worse in the years to come. Why is diabetes in Mexico the disease with the highest percentage of the population? Which solutions could be given to it? Diabetes is the leading cause of death in Mexico, according to the World Health Organization. The disease claims nearly 80, 000 lives each year, and forecasters say the health problem is expected to get worse in the decades to come. Rising rates of obesity combined with a genetic predisposition for Type 2 diabetes has caused a slow steady rise in the condition in Mexico over the last 40 years. Now roughly 14 percent of adults in this country of 120 million are living with what can be a devastating and even fatal health condition. Diabetes poses an increasing burden on the nation's hospitals and clinics. The surge in diabetes threatens the very stability of Mexico's public health care system, according to new reports. Obesity is not only a public health problem, but also a considerable financial burden. According to estimates by the McKinsey Global Institute, obesity imposes costs equivalent to 2. 8% of the world's worldwide imposed costs equivalent to 2. 8% of global GDP. This figure is similar to that generated by armed conflict and smoking. This puts great pressure on household budgets, health systems and public finances. As we already know, diabetes is one of the health problems with the highest percentage in society in Mexico, of course poor nutrition (obesity) can cause this disease, but in spite of that, a large percentage of it depends a lot on genes, family history, ethnicity. Type 1 diabetes according to scientists is caused by genes and environmental factors, and type 2 diabetes which is the most common, is more likely to develop when there is no physical activity, and overweight. Over the years, some solutions for the prevention of diabetes have been implemented, these have had a great impact and others are still in development. The Mexican government has launched advertising campaigns on radio, television and social networks to promote correct eating habits. These help to raise awareness about what people eat on a daily basis, and the seriousness of poor nutrition. At the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS), the PREVENIMSS program provides counseling and talks on diabetes education. With the diabetIMSS program, we seek to improve the quality of life through prevention and providing comprehensive care to patients with this disease. Its main objective is that patients learn how to take control to avoid risks to their health. This program provides medical care to the IMSS population with a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes, which means achieving metabolic control goals, identifying or delaying the onset of complications, better health, greater patient satisfaction, and more efficient use of resources. One of the most recent changes that have been made in Mexico to address this health problem is the new food labeling that more clearly indicates the content of saturated fat, sugar, calories and sodium. As of October 1, 2020, all pre-packaged products must have changes in their front labeling. The presence of the octagonal seals is based on limits established by the Ministry of Health, which appear when the amount of calories, sodium, etc. , exceeds the limit. It also includes 2 cautionary legends about caffeine and sweeteners content, not recommended for consumption by children. Front-of-pack labeling has different benefits, such as, it helps to make an informed purchase decision, to decide if it is healthy or not to consume a specific product, it informs in an easy, fast and truthful way about nutrients, it allows to compare the specific content of a nutrient (or the global content of nutrients) of a product, with one or more similar products, it warns about ingredients harmful to health. Front-of-pack labeling can become a valuable tool that, in addition to fulfilling its informative function, can encourage better choices by consumers and at the same time contribute to the continuous improvement of products by the food industry. As campaigns, programs, advertising and publicity have been created, more and more diploma courses and courses on diabetes education for physicians and nutritionists are being offered. Health education may be one of the most important forms of prevention, since when children are educated about how to eat correctly, exercise is encouraged, the sale of junk food in schools is reduced and more nutritious foods are sold. There has been an attempt to implement this cause within the schools but unfortunately it has not worked, for the same reason that the inclusion of health education is not implemented. Mexico is among the countries with the highest prevalence of diabetes. A high proportion of adults with diabetes had no previous diagnosis, and the proportion with glycemic control is low. Strengthening screening for timely diagnosis and improving glycemic control should be key actions in the management of diabetes. As we could observe with the recapitulated information, diabetes in is truly a serious problem, we must have more information about this disease, inform people, and if there are solutions or preventions for this, take advantage of them, because health is something that we must always take care of, educating future generations about this is very important.