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Whenever diabetes is mentioned, many are those who conclude that only people who consume large amounts of added sugar become diabetic.<\/p>\n
But is that really the case considering there are two different types of diabetes, and each has different causes?<\/p>\n
The two main types of diabetes are:<\/p>\n
While it is true that eating large amounts of added sugar may increase your risk of diabetes, sugar intake is just one of many other factors including overall diet, lifestyle and genetics \u2014 which also impact your risk.<\/p>\n
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What is diabetes?<\/strong><\/p>\n Diabetes occurs when your body is no longer able to effectively regulate blood sugar levels.<\/p>\n This can happen when your pancreas stops producing enough insulin, when your cells become\u00a0resistant to the insulin<\/a>\u00a0that is produced or both.<\/p>\n Insulin is the hormone required to move sugar out of your bloodstream and into your cells \u2014 so both scenarios result in chronically elevated blood sugar levels.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n What role does sugar play in diabetes?<\/strong><\/p>\n According to the\u00a0British Diabetic Association<\/a>, sugar does not cause type 1 diabetes, nor is it caused by anything else in your lifestyle. In type 1 diabetes, the insulin-producing cells in your pancreas are destroyed by your immune system.<\/p>\n With type 2 diabetes, the answer is a little more complex. Though we know sugar doesn\u2019t directly cause type 2 diabetes, you are more likely to get it if you are overweight. You gain weight when you take in more calories than your body needs, and sugary foods and drinks contain a lot of calories.<\/p>\n So you can see if too much sugar is making you put on weight, then you are increasing your risk of getting type 2 diabetes. But type 2 diabetes is complex, and sugar is unlikely to be the only reason the condition develops.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 19 million Africans diabetic?<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cSugar in itself does not cause diabetes.\u201d The Vice President of the Ghana Medical Association (GMA), Dr Frank Serebour told GhanaFact while expressing concern about the rising level of obesity in Ghana.<\/p>\n According to the specialist Paediatrician, \u201cType 2 diabetes is more prevalent in Ghana\u201d and there is the need to encourage weight management and promote regular exercise.<\/p>\n