Diet-Related Problems 2
Food Preparation & Nutrition: AQA GCSE, topic 2.3.7
Diabetes
Diabetes is a condition that causes a person's blood glucose levels to run too high. There are two forms - type 1 and type 2 - but you only need to know about type 2.
Type 2 diabetes
- The hormone insulin, which lets glucose be absorbed by body cells, is made in the pancreas.
- If blood glucose levels become too high, the pancreas releases insulin to lower blood glucose levels.
- Type 2 diabetes is a condition that causes a person's blood glucose levels to become too high. This happens either because the pancreas is unable to produce sufficient insulin, or because the body resists the insulin produced.
Causes
- Common causes of type 2 diabetes include being obese or overweight.
- Eating a diet containing too much sugar can cause someone to become obese.
- People are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes if you have a family history of the disease.
Consequences
- Diabetics can often feel fatigued or thirsty.
- Long-term health issues include bad eyesight, kidney failure, cardiovascular diseases, nerve ending damage and blood vessel damage.
Diet Affecting Bones and Teeth
Nutrient deficiencies can lead to skeletal diseases.
Rickets
- Rickets is a skeletal disorder that children can suffer from if they don't get enough calcium or vitamin D.
- Rickets causes bones to weaken and soften. Sufferers may experience bone pain and are more likely to fracture bones.
- Rickets can also lead to physical deformities, such as stunted growth, bowed legs and an abnormally large forehead.
Tooth decay
- Plaque is a bacteria-filled sticky substance. It forms on our teeth as a result of leftover food.
- The bacteria in the plaque feed on sugars, forming acids that wear down tooth enamel and can lead to tooth decay.
- Methods of preventing tooth decay include brushing teeth twice daily with fluoride toothpaste and cutting down on foods with high sugar content, fruit juices and fizzy drinks.
Osteoporosis
- A type of bone disease, osteoporosis causes bones to weaken and become brittle. Bones are more likely to break.
- Elderly people are more likely to suffer from osteoporosis as we lose bone density with age. Women who have gone through menopause tend to lose bone density very quickly.
- Methods for preventing osteoporosis include doing weight-bearing and muscle-strengthening exercises and eating vitamin D or calcium-rich foods.
Test yourself on Diet-Related Problems 2
What condition causes a person's blood glucose levels to run too high?
Which hormone lets glucose be absorbed by body cells?
What are the long-term health consequences of diabetes?
Which of the following are potential long-term health consequences of diabetes?
Regulation of Blood Glucose