Diabetes, a chronic disease known for decades, has become an increasingly serious public health problem in Brazil. Despite knowledge about the condition, its incidence continues to increase at an alarming rate, driven mainly by inadequate lifestyle habits among the population.
During the program CNN Vital Signsexperts warned about the silent nature of the disease, which is often only diagnosed when it is already in an advanced stage. “It is a primarily silent disease. If you wait for symptoms to appear, your blood sugar level is probably already very high and this person has already had this diabetes for many years”, explained endocrinologist Sharon Nina Admoni.
Early diagnosis and risk groups
The experts emphasized the importance of actively searching for people in risk groups for the disease. Among the main risk factors are: age over 40 years, family history of diabetes, obesity, hypertension and, in the case of women, a history of gestational diabetes. Early diagnosis is essential to avoid serious complications associated with the disease.
When symptoms finally appear, the condition has usually been present for years. Among the most common signs, the endocrinologist highlights fatigue, increased urinary frequency (polyuria), excessive thirst (polydipsia), blurred vision, increased urinary and genital infections, and even tingling, which may indicate complications of the disease.
Serious complications and prevention
Without adequate control, diabetes can trigger serious health problems, such as heart attack, stroke and kidney damage. Therefore, experts emphasize the need for prevention and early diagnosis.
Regarding the prevention of type 2 diabetes, which represents the majority of cases, the recommendations are clear: balanced diet, weight control and regular physical activity. Contrary to what many believe, it is not necessary to completely eliminate sugar from the diet, but it is essential to be consistent and common sense regarding the frequency and quantity of consumption.
