The Complex Factors Influencing Type 2 Diabetes in Women

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Introduction

Diabetes, formerly known as diabetes mellitus, is a disease in which the body loses its ability to produce or respond to the hormone insulin. Insulin is a hormone produced by your pancreas when glucose levels rise in the blood. When insulin works properly, it stores the excess glucose from the blood and lowers the glucose levels. When the hormone insulin isn’t produced or does not respond well, it leads to hyperglycemia and high glucose levels. Diabetes is a serious illness that affects both genders and can lead to chronic health conditions such as kidney damage, strokes, heart attacks, loss of limbs, or blindness.

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Demographic and Social Factors

A person diagnosed with diabetes can have type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, or gestational diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system destroys insulin cells made by the pancreas. Type 1 diabetes is more prevalent in children and young adults and is treated by taking insulin. Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes, and people diagnosed are unable to make enough insulin or do not respond to insulin.

This form of diabetes can affect both genders and all age groups, but it is more common in adults. Gestational diabetes only occurs in women during the time of pregnancy and can cause harm to the baby and mother if it’s not monitored. Gestational diabetes tends to go away after pregnancy, but women who have gestational diabetes are at a higher risk of getting type 2 diabetes later in life. Any form of diabetes has huge health risks if left untreated.

Economic Factors

Demographic and social factors contribute to type 2 diabetes in both men and women. Type 2 diabetes is slightly more prevalent in men than women. There are mixed findings on which gender is more prevalent in developing type 2 diabetes, but in the United States, about 10.9 men and 9.7 percent women are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. However, gender plays little to no significance because multiple factors contribute to this condition. Race and ethnicity are positively correlated with type 2 diabetes. Studies indicate that White Americans are less likely to acquire type 2 diabetes due to regular checkups, whereas Hispanics and African Americans are more likely to get diabetes due to a lack of education and self-care cite here.

Hispanics, for example, are less likely to manage their diabetes or check blood glucose levels. The lack of education and poor self-care contributed to sixty- sixty-three percent of non-Hispanic Black women who developed diabetes. Between 2007-2010 the prevalence of women diagnosed with diabetes was highest amongst Black and Hispanic Women, making these ethnicity groups the highest developers of this condition. Cultural barriers also contributed to the prevalence of type 2 diabetes. In the United States, Hispanic and Asian patients had poor glycemic control due to language barriers, lack of education, and low income. Within the Hispanic population, twenty-six percent reported that they do not speak English very well, and fourteen percent spoke no English.

Language barriers also contributed to poor communication with physicians and also led to little understanding of how to manage their glycemic levels. Marital status also plays a significant role in the management of glycemic levels. Spouses who show interest in patient’s glycemic levels help improve their partner’s overall self-care. Religion is also correlated with type 2 diabetes because it provides a sense of support, reducing the chances of depression by increasing emotional support. Overall, these factors weave together in order to show that Hispanic women tend to have the highest rates of type 2 diabetes.

Economic factors also play a significant role in preventing and controlling type 2 diabetes in women. Families with low incomes tend to face the greatest health challenges due to stress and poor diets. It’s a vicious cycle that follows one problem and leads to another because low income, food insecurity, and type 2 diabetes are all linked together. Studies show that a low income contributes to food insecurity, triggering people to overconsume unhealthy foods. Furthermore, weight gain causes obesity, which is the leading cause of type 2 diabetes.

Food insecurity provokes unhealthy choices because women in America are more likely to purchase energy-dense food. Due to low family incomes, dense food is more affordable. Although energy-dense food is cheaper, it is filled with fat and sugars, causing obesity and eventually diabetes. The environment and the lack of physical activity also contribute to obesity because low-income families live in harsh and unsafe conditions. While eliminating the risk of being safe in a poor environment by staying indoors and sacrificing physical activity, Americans put their health at risk. The lack of exercise contributes to health issues and overall increases the chances of people developing type 2 diabetes. The level of education also has a strong influence on diabetes.

Cultural Factors

Between 2013 and 2015, women who attended less than high school had a prevalence rate of 9.3%, women who attended high school had a 12.4% prevalence rate, and women more than high school had a 10.4% prevalence rate of diabetes. The level of education affects the prevalence rates in women because with education comes change. Women who have completed more than High school have lower prevalence rates than women who attended high school. Education affects prevalence rates because those of higher education know the health risks and have been exposed to prevention methods when it comes to common diseases such as diabetes.

Diabetes affects women of all ages and ethnicities, but American Indian, Hispanic, and Black women are at greater risk. Women who are forty-five-five and older are at higher risk of getting type 2 diabetes. Between 2013-2015 American Indian Women had a 15.3% prevalence rate, followed by Black (nonhispanic) women with a 13.2% prevalence rate, Hispanic women with a prevalence rate of 11.7%, and Asians with a prevalence rate of 7.3%. Type 2 diabetes in women is primarily determined by diet and obesity. A family history of diabetes also increases the risk of women getting type 2 diabetes.

The prevalence rate is also higher amongst women with gestational diabetes, women with high blood pressure and high cholesterol, and those with a history of heart disease. Women with gestational diabetes have a fifty percent chance of getting type 2 diabetes later on in life. Studies have shown that being overweight or obese is the greatest predictor of diabetes. Lack of exercise, drinking, smoking, and having conditions such as high blood pressure are all signs of type 2 diabetes. Prediabetes is a strong indicator of type 2 diabetes; if left untreated, pre-diabetes leads to type 2 diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes is preventable if women get regular glaucoma checkups and if they monitor their diet with the increase in physical activity. Studies have shown that a diet with high fiber, low unsaturated fats, and trans fats can help moderate glucose levels. Regular exercise, moderation of drinking, and abstinence from smoking can also help moderate glucose levels. Patients who have trouble moderating glucose levels with lifestyle changes can take insulin, which helps control the amount of glucose in the bloodstream.

Most physicians advise patients to lose weight, monitor diet, and increase physical activity, but patients can also take insulin to treat type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes typically affects women later in life. Women forty- five and older are at the greatest risk. Women typically diagnosed with type 2 diabetes lose an average of 6.8 years of life, and overall, there is a 15% mortality risk with type 2 diabetes. The mortality risk is lowered with proper blood glucose monitoring and with yearly screenings.

The type of food consumed can increase the risk of getting type 2 diabetes. Highly processed foods that contain an abundance of carbohydrates, sugars, and saturated and trans fats all contribute to type 2 diabetes. A well-balanced diet with fruits, vegetables, and whole grains is the first step in managing diabetes. The recommended foods for diabetics are healthy carbohydrates, fiber-rich food, fish, and good fats. Incorporating healthy foods helps manage glucose levels and also makes each calorie count. Eating foods high in sugars and fats has little to no nutrition, but it contains empty- calories, which only lead to obesity and weight gain. Healthy foods such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, lentils, fish, or avocados are essential in a diabetic diet.

Women can choose several plans, including the plate method, counting carbohydrates, or a glycemic index method to monitor blood glucose levels efficiently. The plate method incorporates half a plate with nonstarchy vegetables, a quarter of a whole grain, and a serving of fruit or dairy. Diabetics can also count carbohydrates since they have the greatest impact on glucose levels. This process involves eating the same and the right amount of carbohydrates. Dieticians also recommend the glycemic index method, which focuses on foods that affect blood glucose levels. Not only do these methods help maintain healthy glucose, but they also help prevent other chronic diseases such as heart disease, high cholesterol, or kidney failures.

Government Policies and Programs

Culture has a significant impact on the type of foods which is consumed. Type 2 diabetes is highly prevalent in African Americans and Hispanics, mostly due to their diet. Studies have shown that traditional African American food, which includes starchy vegetables, grains, and fried foods such as meat, contributes to high cholesterol and fat. These foods also lead to weight gain because they are full of unhealthy carbs and are high in calories. Whole milk and buttermilk are common ingredients found in many African-American dishes, and they also contribute to the development of type 2 diabetes.

Fried meat and overconsumption of pork also lead to type 2 diabetes amongst African Americans. It has been found that simply modifying meals can help prevent type 2 diabetes. Cutting down on greasy foods, foods with high saturated fats, and eating baked meat are examples of some modifications. Type 2 diabetes is also high amongst Hispanics but mostly Mexican Americans. Traditional foods such as tacos and burritos are high in calories and can be fattening, based on recipes. Studies have shown that traditional Mexican food is healthy because it contains low fat and is high in fiber.

This food becomes an issue when it is excessively fried and is full of saturated fats. There are foods in both cultures that have positive effects, but it is important to consume healthier foods rather than soul foods. Another process that contributes to unhealthy habits is assimilation. While trying to make a living and adapt to the American lifestyle, both these cultures have adopted American food habits. American food is filled with unhealthy options such as fast food. Fast food is high in calories, full of saturated fats, sugars, and trans fats, and is a major contributor to type 2 diabetes.

Prevention and Management

The government has implemented and continues to implement food policies that help people in the US. Food policies and programs such as SNAP and food distribution programs have decreased the prevalence rate of type 2 diabetes. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program ( SNAP) offers assistance to low-income families. It is a program that provides food stamps to low-income families so they can have access to healthier foods. Over the years, SNAP has placed a ban on buying sugar-sweetened beverages and has encouraged families to purchase healthier foods. SNAP families get accredited thirty cents for every dollar spent on fruits or vegetables.

A study showed that after SNAP banned the purchasing of sweetened drinks, the overall calorie intake decreased, and obesity rates amongst SNAP families also declined. With the decrease in sugar consumption and a reduction in weight, the prevalence rate for obesity dropped by 2.4%. The study also illustrates that the new policies placed by SNAP have caused the largest decline in type 2 diabetes amongst adults between the ages of 18 and 65. Type 2 diabetes also declined by 2.3% in SNAP families after these policies were placed. The vegetable and fruit subsidy increased the number of fruits and vegetables purchased by SNAP members.

Findings also showed that these policies also decreased the glycemic load per person by 0.03 grams. Although this may not sound significant, it is a step in the right direction, and programs similar to SNAP help reduce conditions such as diseases by simply providing extra help. They allow families to access healthier foods, which is beneficial in preventing chronic diseases.

Consumption of sugary drinks is directly correlated to weight gain and type 2 diabetes. New York has taken action and passed policies to reduce sugar consumption. In 2009- 2009, the governor of New York proposed a tax on sugary drinks. The 18% sales tax and increase of 1 cent every year after that reduced the overall consumption of sugary beverages by 10 10. The reduction of sugar consumption leads to better health habits and reduces the risk of obesity and diabetes among children and adults. Between the years 2007- 2013, the percentage of sugar consumption in New York has decreased dramatically.

In the year 2007, the sugar consumption in youth was 56.7%, but it declined to 41.5% in 2013. The sugar consumption in adults was 35.9% in 2007 and 23.3% in 2013. The policies passed by the governor of New York City helped reduce sugar consumption significantly. Policies like these should be implemented by the US government or by Governors in all states. Policies that set a limit on the amount of sugar in beverages would also help decrease the prevalence rates of type 2 diabetes. Having policies on portion control can also help decrease health issues.

Conclusion

Many restaurants serve large quantities of foods filled with high calories and unhealthy fats. If all items served had a strict portion control, then that would help decrease the prevalence rate for many chronic diseases. Overall, if the government continued to implement stricter policies throughout the nation, then the prevalence rate for type 2 diabetes would decrease drastically.

References

[Source: National Center for Biotechnology Information] “Diabetes in Women” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5018496/
[Source: Maternal and Child Health Bureau] “Health Indicators for Women in the United States: Diabetes” https://mchb.hrsa.gov/whusa13/health-status/health-indicators/p/diabetes.html
[Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] “Diabetes Social Media Infographics” https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/library/socialMedia/infographics.html
[Source: American Diabetes Association] “National Diabetes Statistics Report, 2017” http://www.diabetes.org/assets/pdfs/basics/cdc-statistics-report-2017.pdf
[Source: National Center for Biotechnology Information] “Social Factors and Diabetes Prevalence in the US Women’s Health Study” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3464757/

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