British Sign Language Glossaries of Curriculum Terms

BSL Environmental Science Glossary - Diabetes (Type 1 and Type 2) definition

Definition: Diabetes is a condition that some people have, and it is when their body's blood sugar levels are out of control - either too high or too low. There are two types of diabetes - Type 1 and Type 2. Type 1 affects primarily young people and children; in these instances, their pancreas isn't working or has stopped working. Type 2 affects mainly older people and results from a deterioration of functioning of the pancreas over time - this is most often due to poor diet and/or not enough exercise/inactivity. Diabetes affects the body in several ways, and this is true for both Type 1 and 2, that is, loss of energy (tiredness), frequent need to go to the toilet, and excessive thirst. The treatment for Type 1 is injection of insulin based on frequent blood sugar monitoring. Those with Type 2 can take medication (tablets). People with diabetes must be careful about what they eat - particularly reducing their carbohydrate and sugar intake. In terms of a cure - research into Type 1 diabetes is ongoing, but there is no cure on the horizon; those with Type 2 can, with careful monitoring of their diet and regular exercise, can get to a point where their diabetes no longer impacts them.