This article is from the magazine Les Dossiers de Sciences et Avenir n°220 dated January/March 2025.
In 2022, nearly 4 million French people were being treated for diabetes, more than 90% of whom had type 2 diabetes. This form, which mainly affects adults, corresponds to hyperglycemia (excess blood sugar) due to poor use of insulin by the body's cells.
It is detected by a blood test and corresponds to a fasting blood sugar level ≥ 1.26 g/l, a diagnosis of prediabetes being made when it is between 1.10 g/l and 1.25 g/l. As it is a progressive pathology, the objective is to avoid complications in the organs with the highest blood supply: eyes, kidneys, heart and feet.
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Change your habits
To achieve this, the patient must absolutely change their habits. Practice regular physical activity, stop smoking, and above all, reduce their weight by reducing their calorie intake, sugars, and salt, and by restricting their intake of saturated fatty acids in favor of fiber. These therapies are preferred before considering hypoglycemic drug treatment in the event of failure.
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