Why do we eat & what is diabetes?

We eat to obtain nutrients.

The breakdown of food into glucose begins in the mouth, where the food mixes with saliva.

From here it travels down the food pipe and into the stomach, where it is broken down further.

The stomach breaks down food into smaller pieces.

After about six hours, food passes into the small intestine. Here the nutrients in the food are absorbed. This includes vitamins, minerals, proteins, carbohydrates, and fats.

Nutrient-rich blood moves to the liver. The liver filters out waste products. The liver helps control how nutrients flow to the rest of the body, and how many nutrients will be stored.

Food moves into the large intestine. This is the last area where water and minerals can be absorbed into the bloodstream.

Any food left gets harder and forms stool. This is passed via the rectum.

Diabetes is a condition that causes a person’s blood sugar level to become too high.

3.8 million people in the UK have diabetes. The number is growing all the time.

By 2025 there will be 5 million people in the UK with diabetes.

About 90% of people with diabetes have Type 2 diabetes. This is 6% of the UK population. This means that one in every 16 people have diabetes.

The two main types of diabetes are:

• Type 1 diabetes. This is where the body’s immune system attacks and destroys the cells that produce insulin.

• Type 2 diabetes. This is where the body does not produce enough insulin, or the cells do not react to insulin.