Diabetes can be controlled in African Americans through a diet - Research Paper Example

There is also a wide range of diabetic types which totals more than 30 different types of diabetes. The classic symptoms of diabetes are characterized by the 3-Ps, which are the polyuria (frequent urination), polydipsia (increased thirst) and polyphagia (heightened hunger). Scientific research has not pinpointed the exact causes of diabetes but several factors have been identified as possibly contributory to the development of diabetes which is a life-long chronic condition once it sets in. It means diabetes can be controlled by adequately and properly monitoring blood sugar levels with the use of insulin but it cannot be cured.

Type-1 diabetes, for example, is suspected to be due to infection from a Coxsackie B4 virus although genetics plays a part in a persons susceptibility. Type-2 diabetes, which is the most common type of diabetes, is caused also partly by genetics but primarily from lifestyle factors such as smoking and obesity. It is therefore very important to observe lifestyle modifications to avoid this type of diabetes. This paper tackles how diet can be used to control widespread diabetes incidence in black Americans.

Incidence (new cases) of diabetes is increasing rapidly worldwide due to the lifestyle changes in modern society. Along with hypertension and obesity, diabetes is considered as silent epidemic because many people afflicted with it are not even aware they have diabetes already. It is estimated that 172 million people worldwide have diabetes (approximately 3% of population) while some 26 million of Americans have diabetes (with 90%-95% of them with Type-2) with an estimated 7 million of them unaware they have diabetes (undiagnosed).

The rapid rise in number of diabetic persons is ascribed to urbanization and a Western-style diet composed of mostly fast-food which are very high in cholesterol (poly-unsaturated fats), a more sedentary