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LIFESTYLE AND PSYCHOSOCIAL RISK FACTORS OF DIABETES MELLITUS


Diabetes Mellitus or Diabetes is a disorder of metabolism leading to an increase in blood glucose levels. This increased sugar levels can eventually lead to many complications such as Diabetic Neuropathy, Retinopathy and Nephropathy which affects the nerves, eyes and kidneys respectively. Diabetes may also precipitate many other diseases and co-morbidities including thyroid disease and some forms of cancer (Diabetes, UK, 2019). Diabetes can affect people of all ages and different races. Diabetes can be classified into primary diabetes, gestational diabetes and secondary diabetes. Primary diabetes includes the well-known Type I and Type II diabetes as well as Latent Autoimmune Diabetes of Adulthood (LADA) and Maturity Onset Diabetes of the Young (MODY).


 Gestational diabetes occurs during pregnancy and secondary causes of diabetes include pancreatic insufficiency (Diagnosis and Classification of Diabetes Mellitus, 2004). Type I diabetes, MODY and LADA are genetically inherited diseases. Type II diabetes on the other hand is associated with many risk factors which include genetics as well.

A diagnosis of diabetes for a person has physical, economic and psychological effects on an individual. It means a lifetime of care which can take its toll on both the person living with diabetes and the people caring for them. The cost of care can also be high as treatment includes medications with strict regimens. Compliance with medication is necessary as well as a modification to one’s lifestyle can be necessary (Johnson, 1980). The complications of untreated diabetes include foot ulcers and possible amputations, cardiovascular diseases and stroke. This is why it’s important to be aware of risk factors that can lead to this disease in the hope of championing its prevention.

Figure 1 - Lifestyle Factors

Risk factors for diabetes can be divided into many categories but we will focus on lifestyle and psychosocial risk factors. Lifestyle factors have been shown to have great effect on whether or not you develop diabetes. Factors such as bad eating habits, excessive alcohol consumption, and a high BMI have a high-risk association with the development of type II diabetes (Diabetes and UK, 2019). Other common lifestyle factors involved in diabetes are in Figure 1. Psychosocial factors also have a role in diabetes. Studies show depression is an associated risk factor for developing diabetes. Psychosocial factors also have an effect as they linked to behavioural mechanisms that mediate the lifestyle factors (Hackett and Steptoe, 2016). For example, a person with poor coping skills may take in more alcohol, a known lifestyle factor. Other psychosocial factors are in Figure 2.

Figure 2 - Psychosocial Factors

In conclusion, there are 425 million people in the world living with diabetes and 518,400 cases reported in adults in Ghana (International Diabetes Federation, 2019). It is important to make ourselves aware of the psychosocial factors affecting those living with diabetes and do our best to help them deal with the stress, anxiety, and depression that accompany the physical disease. And to also be aware of any pre-emptive actions we can take to prevent acquiring the disease such as diet restriction, increased exercise and trying our best to live a stress-free life.


Author: Jolaade Adewumi



REFERENCES

Diabetes and UK (2019). Diabetes risk factors. [online] Diabetes UK. Available at: https://www.diabetes.org.uk/preventing-type-2-diabetes/diabetes-risk-factors [Accessed 11 Jul. 2019].
Diabetes, UK (2019). Diabetes and Cancer. [online] Diabetes UK. Available at: https://www.diabetes.org.uk/diabetes-the-basics/related-conditions/diabetes-and-cancer [Accessed 30 Jul. 2019].
Diagnosis and Classification of Diabetes Mellitus. (2004). Diabetes Care, 28(Supplement 1), pp.S37-S42.
Hackett, R. and Steptoe, A. (2016). Psychosocial Factors in Diabetes and Cardiovascular Risk. Current Cardiology Reports, 18(10).
International Diabetes Federation (2019). Members. [online] Idf.org. Available at: https://www.idf.org/our-network/regions-members/africa/members/11-ghana.html [Accessed 30 Jul. 2019].
Johnson, S. (1980). Psychosocial factors in juvenile diabetes: A review. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 3(1), pp.95-116.

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