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Diabetes mellitus (DM) or commonly called diabetes is a disease that can affect all age groups, both young and old. Currently, most teenagers tend to have an unhealthy diet, such as frequently consuming fast food, as well as sweet foods and drinks (donuts, chocolate, cakes, and boba drinks).
According to Indonesian Basic Health Research data in 2018, the prevalence of impaired fasting blood sugar (GDP) in the 15-24 year age group is 10.7% and the prevalence of impaired glucose tolerance is 16.8%. This indicates that quite a lot of teenagers in Indonesia are at risk of developing diabetes.
There is an increase in insulin resistance, when a person consumes sugar in excess. This increase in insulin resistance causes the body to be unable to properly process excess sugar. This increase in blood glucose levels (hyperglycemia) is inevitable and triggers type 2 diabetes mellitus.
What causes type 2 DM in adolescents?
Being overweight or obese is a major risk factor for type 2 DM. A person who is obese has larger fat cells in their body, so they cannot respond properly to insulin. Obesity in people with type 2 DM is caused by an unbalanced diet and likes to consume foods that have high enough calorie levels, as well as a lack of physical activity (Suwinawati et al., 2020).
Someone with a family history of DM will be more at risk of experiencing DM than those who do not have a family history of DM, because diabetes mellitus is a hereditary disease (Nasution et al., 2021).
Consuming Alcohol and Smoking
Alcohol will interfere with blood sugar metabolism, especially in people with DM, so it will complicate blood sugar regulation. Whereas in someone who smokes, nicotine can affect insulin which causes a decrease in insulin release due to catecholamine hormones, a negative effect on insulin work, disturbances in pancreatic beta cells and development towards insulin resistance (Ario, 2014).
What are the signs and symptoms that appear?
According to the Indonesian Ministry of Health’s P2PTM, signs and symptoms that appear in people with type 2 DM include:
POLYURI (Increased Urination Frequency)
Since the cells in the body cannot absorb glucose, the kidneys try to excrete as much glucose as possible. As a result, DM sufferers urinate more often than normal people.
POLYDIPSY (Excessive Thirst)
With the loss of water from the body due to frequent urination, sufferers feel thirsty and need to drink a lot. Frequent urination and excessive thirst are just some of the ways the body tries to manage high blood sugar.
POLYPHAGI (Excessive Hunger)
The condition in which sufferers feel excessive hunger occurs due to reduced insulin ability to manage blood sugar levels.
Blood sugar levels that are too high can also cause rapid weight loss. Because the hormone insulin doesn’t get glucose for cells, which it uses as energy, the body breaks down protein from muscles as an alternative source of fuel.
Reference:
Ario, D. (2014). Effect of Nicotine in Cigarette for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. Jurnal Majority, 3(7), 75–80.
Nasution, F., Andilala, & Siregar, A. (2021). Risk Factors for Diabetes Mellius. Journal of Health Sciences, 9(2), 94–102.
Suwinawati, E., Ardiani, H., & Ratnawati, R. (2020). The Relationship between Obesity and the Incidence of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus at the Non-Communicable Diseases Integrated Development Post at the Kendal Health Center, Ngawi District. Journal of Health Science and Prevention, 4(2), 79–84.
2023-08-17 12:19:00
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