HUNKY TOM HANKS DIAGNOSED WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES..

Tom Hanks, my childood favourite actor has shared news that he has been diagnosed with the common form of the disease - which is the result of the body not producing enough insulin to function properly - in an interview with chat show host David Letterman.

Tom admitted he has been experiencing symptoms for 20 years but only recently received the  diagnosis from his doctor.

 

 

WHAT IS TYPE 2 DIABETES?

Diabetes occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin, or when the body cannot efficiently use it to convert glucose to provide energy. 

World Health Organisation statistics show that 347 million people worldwide have the condition, which can damage the heart, blood vessels, eyes, kidneys, and nerves -  increasing the risk of heart disease, kidney failure, stroke and blindness.

Type 1 is caused when the cells that produce the hormone insulin are destroyed – and is usually diagnosed early in life.

Type 2 diabetes occurs when the insulin produced becomes less effective - normally as a result of being overweight and inactive. The body needs more and more insulin to try to keep blood sugar within a normal range. 

Although the biggest risk factor for type 2 diabetes is weight, genes can also have an important role.

And one in five people with the condition  - such as Tom Hanks - are not obese, with many leading healthy lifestyles.

The problem is that the stereotype of the type 2 diabetes sufferer means that as many as one million people may be going undiagnosed simply because they do not believe they are in a high-risk group.

Experts warn that invisible internal fat around vital organs could be placing this group at risk.

The usual treatment for type 2 diabetes is diet and lifestyle changes and taking metformin, a drug that boosts the amount of insulin taken up by the cells. In more severe cases, patients need to inject themselves with insulin.

Other celebrities who have been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes include Halle Berry, Patti Labelle, Drew Carey and Chaka Khan.

Hanks shared the news after David Letterman commented on his weight and said he was looking relatively trimmer. 
Speaking on the show Tom said: 'I went to the doctors and they said', "You know those high blood sugar numbers you've been living with since you were 36, well you've graduated, you've got Type 2 Diabetes young man"'.

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