Management Of Diabetes Among Youths In UK With Obesity Management Plan

Discuss about management of the health issue of Diabetes among the youths in UK with obesity management plan?

The current study is based on the topic of diabetes originating due to obesity among the young population of UK. The country depicts a prevalence of diabetes for 6.0% of the adults. Health bodies as NHS bears the high burden of cost due to the increasing cost of diabetes, which emphasizes the need for a higher focus on diabetes management plan. Obesity seems to result for 80-85% of the Type 2 diabetes incidence in UK (Winkley, 2013). Therefore, focussing on obesity management this study provides insight and direction towards reducing and effective handling of the health issue of diabetes among the youths.   

This study is based on the topic of management of the health issue of Diabetes among the youths in UK with obesity management plan.  

Lifestyle management is a major intervention applied for managing diabetes issue related to obesity. Various aspects of life are influenced by diabetes and needs to be considered in lifestyle management intervention to handle and prevent diabetes in the young population. These include blood glucose level (BGL) monitoring, consumption of alcohol, smoke, food habits, physical activity level and emotional condition (Haas et al. 2013). Studies identify higher levels of physical activities, modified diets of low-calorie foods and weight loss programs to reduce the rate of progression of T2DM among the youths with an impaired glucose tolerance.

A full involvement of the whole family of the patient or concerned youth is highly visible in the lifestyle management intervention. Reduction of spending time in front of computer or Television is a major focus of lifestyle intervention to manage diabetes in youths (healthcare, 2015). It drives the youths away from the sedentary lifestyle that is an eminent factor contributing to the origin of obesity and diabetes in an association. Change of food intake habits is a very important lifestyle change that influences the improvement of diabetic condition largely. Eating five portions of fruit and vegetables each day satiates the hunger avoiding overeating tendency or higher calorie intake.

Pharmacologic intervention is another effective method to address the issue of diabetes. It deals with the administration of the relevant and most appropriate drugs to the patient as per symptoms and conditions depicted. Reinehr (2013) identified the administration of subcutaneous insulin injection in patients to treat Type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM). Type 2 DM (T2DM) can be handled with medicines as Metformin (1st line of treatment), Thiazolidinediones, Sulfonylureas and others. Metformin seems to lower the HbA1c in 16 weeks of treatment. It also reveals the ability to improve plasma glucose levels. Sulfonylureas reveal an increase in weight and hypoglycemic side effects. Rosiglitazone is another drug showing similar effects on BGL as that of Metformin. However, a little increase in weight and mild peripheral edema associated with Rosiglitazone treatment decreases its preference over Metformin.

Interventions

The incretin hormone therapy is also an effective pharmacologic intervention for diabetes management (Schwartz and DeFronzo, 2013). Insulin therapy with or without other agents also improves BGL in youths suffering from diabetes (T2DM). However, certain factors as are essential to consider for determining the possibility of implementing the pharmacologic therapy for the diabetic patient or people at risk of diabetes. These factors include cost, efficacy, comorbidities, potential side effects, patient preferences, the risk of hypoglycaemia and effects on the weight of the patient (Ndei.org, 2015). The treatment with rapid-acting insulin analogues is effective to lower the rate of hypoglycaemia in diabetic patients.  

The target group for this study of diabetes due to obesity are the youths in UK depicting a high incidence of obesity (6.0%) among them leading to diabetes in later age. More than 62% of the youths in UK reveal obesity as a major issue that further leads to diabetes in 2013 (Grimes et al. 2013).  

Diabetes is a highly concerning issue in UK. It not only affects the physical health of the affected individual but also declines the quality of life influencing the psychological aspect of the diabetic individual hampering efficiency and other social aspects as well. UK reveals an increase of diabetes prevalence from 1.4 million to 3.2 million in the country (Diabetes.co.uk, 2015). Obesity is seen to be the major reason causing T2DM in UK. The fast pace life of the people in UK drives the majority of the youths to lead a sedentary lifestyle. The increase in the percentage of young population affected by diabetes and its massive adverse effects on their health and lives puts a detrimental effect on the country’s status on an overall basis.

Chapple and Genco (2013) highlighted the adverse effects of diabetes on the youths as declining energy restraining them from working to their full potential. The negative influence of diabetes on the psychological or mental health of youths is also evident. A large number of youths in the age group of 16-24 years old depicts mental health problems and patient of diabetes. Anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa seem to affect 2% of the young females. Hampering of normal living capabilities due to diabetes is the major cause of the psychological effect (Bernstein et al. 2013). Diabetes leads to decrease in sexual efficiency, energy, enthusiasm in life, short temper, food habits, digestion and urination. All these together have a stark effect on the lives of the youths.  

Target group

This project will aim to reduce the incidence of diabetes among youths to improve the overall health status of the country.

• To drive the youths towards adoption of higher level of physical activities in their lives to prevent diabetes
   
• To review and enhance the availability of healthy and low-calorie food and beverage options in markets and shops near educational institutions at affordable prices
   
• To increase the number of youths accessing the monthly health checkups/screening for obesity and diabetes relating to it

Table 1: Action plan for Diabetes management

(Source: Author)

Conclusion:

This study is conducted with a deep focus on diabetes due to obesity in youths, which is a major health issue among the society of UK in current days. It identifies the problems as increasing number of young people being victimised by diabetes. The pharmacologic intervention and psychological lifestyle change intervention are the two identified solutions for diabetes issue.

Considering the use of lifestyle management intervention, the study presents a prospective action plan for diabetes management. Inducing the youths towards a higher level of physical activities, opting for selling healthy low-calorie food products by the retailers and raising awareness about the importance of health screening among youths are the major objectives highlighted in the study. Relevant activities as mass campaigning, discussion with retailers, setting physical activity sessions emerges as important. People as practitioners, health experts, nurses, retailers, suppliers and others are involved at great depths and level with the plan. Medical aids, health check-up equipment, etc. are significant for executing the activities. Relevant evaluation methods as questionnaire survey are eminent.

References

Bernstein, C. M., Stockwell, M. S., Gallagher, M. P., Rosenthal, S. L., and Soren, K. (2013). Mental health issues in adolescents and young adults with type 1 diabetes prevalence and impact on glycemic control. Clinical pediatrics,52(1), 10-15.

Chapple, I. L., and Genco, R. (2013). Diabetes and periodontal diseases: consensus report of the Joint EFP/AAP Workshop on Periodontitis and Systemic Diseases. Journal of clinical periodontology, 40(s14), S106-S112.

Diabetes.co.uk, (2015). Diabetes and Obesity. [online] Available at: https://www.diabetes.co.uk/diabetes-and-obesity.html [Accessed 29 Jul. 2015].

Grimes, C. A., Riddell, L. J., Campbell, K. J., and Nowson, C. A. (2013). Dietary salt intake, sugar-sweetened beverage consumption, and obesity risk. Pediatrics, 131(1), 14-21.

Haas, L., Maryniuk, M., Beck, J., Cox, C. E., Duker, P., Edwards, L., and Youssef, G. (2013). National standards for diabetes self-management education and support. Diabetes care, 36(Supplement 1), S100-S108.

healthcare, T. (2015). Treatment and healthcare - Diabetes UK. [online] Diabetes.org.uk. Available at: https://www.diabetes.org.uk/Guide-to-diabetes/Teens/What-is-diabetes/About-diabetes/Treatment-and-healthcare/ [Accessed 5 Aug. 2015].

Ndei.org, (2015). ADA Guidelines Type 2 Diabetes Pharmacologic Therapy | NDEI. [online] Available at: https://www.ndei.org/ADA-diabetes-management-guidelines-pharmacologic-therapy-for-type-2-diabetes.aspx [Accessed 5 Aug. 2015].

Reinehr, T. (2013). Type 2 diabetes mellitus in children and adolescents. World journal of diabetes, 4(6), 270.

Schwartz, S., and DeFronzo, R. A. (2013). Is incretin-based therapy ready for the care of hospitalized patients with type 2 diabetes? The time has come for GLP-1 receptor agonists!. Diabetes care, 36(7), 2107-2111.

Winkley, K et al. (2013) The clinical characteristics at diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes in a multi-ethnic population; the South London Diabetes cohort (SOUL-D). Diabetologia 55(6). 1272–81