
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a disease caused by a lack of insulin in the body and by reduced ability of the body's cells to utilise insulin. Insulin is normally produced by special cells in the pancreas - a part of the body that produces insulin and other substances that facilitate the processing of the food. Insulin is the most important hormone produced by the body to regulate blood sugar (blood glucose) levels. In addition to affecting blood glucose regulation, diabetes can affect lipid (fat) regulation and is very often associated with obesity and hypertension in Type 2 diabetes. Diabetes is a serious disease and can damage various parts of the body such as the eyes, kidneys, nerves, heart and feet.
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