Understanding the Risks "Type 2 Diabetes"
Information and Prevention
Do you, a friend, or family member struggle with diabetes?
Have you noticed that type 2 diabetes is becoming alarmingly common around us and worldwide? In 2017, The World Health Organization (WHO) classified type 2 diabetes as a global epidemic. The Canadian Diabetes Association estimates that over 1/3 of the population will have type 2 diabetes or be pre-diabetic by 2020. Why are these numbers are growing at an alarming rate? Could this be related to our sedentary lifestyle? In order to understand the problem, first we need to understand what happens to our body when we do something as simple as eating a meal.
The Cause of Diabetes
After we eat, our body breaks down carbohydrates from foods into sugar molecules, especially glucose. However, glucose cannot enter our cells without the help of insulin, which the pancreas produces continuously in a healthy individual. As the blood sugar increases after a meal, insulin production also increases. The insulin unlocks cells so that glucose can enter them.
When a person has type 2 diabetes, either the pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin, or cells begin to resist the insulin. When that happens, sugar can build up in the blood and begin to cause the symptoms of type 2 diabetes.
Who Is At Risk?
According to the Canadian Diabetes Association, this alarming increase in diabetes is due to several factors, including rising obesity rates, sedentary lifestyles and an aging population. In addition, almost 80% of new Canadians are from populations at higher risk for diabetes (Indigenous, Hispanic, Asian, South Asian, African descent), and Indigenous peoples are three to five times more likely to develop the disease.
If you are not sure if you are at risk of type 2 diabetes, you can complete the online CANRISK questionnaire and get your risk assessment in under 2 minutes.
Find Out If You Are At Risk!
What Are the Risk Factors for Type 2 Diabetes?
Your chances of developing type 2 diabetes depend on a combination of risk factors such as genetics and lifestyle. Although you can’t change risk factors such as family history, age, or ethnicity, you can change lifestyle risk factors around eating, physical activity, and weight. These lifestyle changes can affect your chances of developing type 2 diabetes.
You are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes if you;
- are overweight or obese (approximately 60% of Canadians are overweight)
- are age 45 or older (risk increases for those over age 40)
- have inactive lifestyle (50% of Canadians over age 12 are inactive)
- have Indigenous, Hispanic, South Asian, Asian or African background
- have high blood pressure and/or elevated cholesterol
- have a family history of diabetes
- have depression (while the demands of managing diabetes may contribute to depression, it can work both ways. Depression can lead to poor lifestyle decisions, such as unhealthy eating, less exercise, smoking and weight gain — all of which are risk factors for diabetes.)
How to Control & Prevent Type 2 Diabetes?
The Harvard School of Public Health states that about 9 in 10 cases of type 2 diabetes could be avoided by healthier living: keeping your weight under control, exercising, eating a healthy diet, and not smoking. As the old saying goes: “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”.
A reduction of body weight of just 5-7% through exercise and healthy diet, (just over 10lbs for someone who weighs 200lbs) can prevent diabetes and provides decreased insulin resistance and better glucose control. Regular physical activity, such as walking for 30 minutes daily for 5 days each week, reduces the risk of the many serious complications leading to diabetes type 2.
While lifestyle changes can have a significant impact on preventing or delaying the onset of diabetes, it is easier said than done. In fact, there are fun activities we can do to manage this condition.
Safeway employs certified diabetes educators in several locations in Canada.
Visit this link to find pharmacists with diabetes certification near you.
Community Outreach Pharmacy Program is partnered with the Diabetes Canada to provide you support and advice to manage your diabetes. Visit this link and find Community Outreach Pharmacies near you.
What Can Be Done to Reduce the Risk of Type 2 Diabetes at the Workplace?
Taking action on diabetes in the workplace doesn’t have to be an expensive proposition, but it should be strategic to ensure that money and resources are properly directed. Here are some cost-effective strategies to help manage diabetes in the workplace:
Leveraging Existing Programs – A Lot Can Be Done With A Little
- A Health Risk Questionnaire is often available through your benefits carrier or Employee Assistance Program (EAP). It is an important tool to assess health in multiple areas, including physical activity, nutrition, weight and family history. Your employer can work with your benefits provider to collect the results that will indicate the greatest areas of risk.
Promoting General Awareness of Diabetes – Choosing A Wellness Champion
- Providing education and awareness programs for an early detection and disease management are great ways to create awareness about the disease.
If you have team members who need encouragement, you can approach them with wellness champions. These role models can increase employee participation and create awareness among team members who don’t feel motivated about exercise and keeping a healthy diet.
You can also ask your plan administrator to promote key initiatives such as a CANRISK questionnaire, so everyone on the team can learn more about whether they are at risk or not.
Educating Employees About Healthy Eating & Physical Activity
- Another commonly used method is to offer education sessions or to bring a diabetes educator to your workplace. Consider bringing in a nutritionist for healthy cooking demonstrations as a fun way to promote healthy eating. Introduce the principles of exercise and the ways that employees can incorporate physical activity into their day.
Introducing healthy food options in meetings, vending machines and cafeterias as well as placing posters around those areas with key nutrition facts are great and cost-efficient ways to tackle type 2 Diabetes at workplace.
Final Words
Learning about the prevention of diabetes and pre-diabetes should be high on your list of priorities, as an individual and as an employer or employee.
As we recognize the benefits of preventative techniques, employee wellness programs, pre- iabetes screening and education, we can tackle type 2 Diabetes and reduce the associated complications. We can impact our health and happiness tremendously with simple adjustments to our lifestyles. All of these changes will lead to a more meaningful and fulfilling lifestyle.
This document was created from Sunlife Financial`s “Diabetes: an action plan for employers”