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Preventing the steady increase of Diabetes Mellitus is one of the greatest challenges faced by the health sector to date. The World Health Organization(WHO) has estimated that 422 million adults were affected by the disease in 2014(1). This figure has increased 147% since the year 2000 and is expected to continue to rise. Similarly, in Ireland diabetes places a huge burden on both the health sector and the individuals with approximately 225,840 living with the disease in 2014. Lifestyle factors, growing populations and obesity have been thought to contribute to this increase (2)
Diabetes Mellitus is a group of metabolic disorders where the body is unable to produce adequate insulin to reduce excess glucose in the bloodstream, or when the body cannot use the existing insulin appropriately (3). Insulin is a peptide hormone present in the beta cells of the pancreas and is released into the blood as a result of various stimuli such as glucose (4).Glucose is the fuel of the body and those suffering from diabetes can be described as being in a state of starvation whereby the glucose in the bloodstream is insufficiently able to reach the cells to provide energy (5). Long term consequences of the disease can have a negative effect on vital organs including the heart, eyes, kidneys and nerves.(6) Prevention of these complications is priority with awareness of carbohydrates being an effective prevention method in both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.