March 28th is Diabetes Alert Day. Organized by the American Diabetes Association, the day is meant “to sound the alarm about the prevalence of type 2 diabetes in American adults by asking America to take the American Diabetes Association Type 2 Diabetes Risk Test.” According to the NIH, more than 2 in 3 adults are considered to be overweight or obese and according to the CDC, 29.1 million people or 9.3% of the population have diabetes.
As the prevalence of obesity and diabetes continues to rise in the Unites States, it’s important that we continue to talk about the risks involved. Being overweight or obese is a huge risk factor for developing type 2 diabetes. Once it’s developed, it can have a huge impact on your digestive system. Here some ways diabetes can affect digestion.
Your Microbiota Changes
Both diabetes and obesity can have serious impacts on gut microbiota (the bacteria that reside in the human intestine). The gut microbiota is essential to the breakdown and absorption of nutrients. It’s the reason we are able to digest most of the food we eat.
Recent studies have shown that the gut microbiota in obese and lean people actually differ in composition. When your microbiota becomes unbalanced or disrupted, it can actually lead to several metabolic disorders.
You Could Suffer Nerve Damage
People with diabetes can, over time, develop diabetic neuropathies, a family of nerve disorders. This nerve damage can also effect the digestive system by way of nausea, constipation or diarrhea.
Diabetes is the leading cause of Gastroparesis, a condition in which your stomach cannot empty itself of food. When food stays in the stomach too long it can cause bloating, nausea, and heartburn.
Diabetes can cause a whole host of problems throughout your body. If you are overweight and/or if diabetes runs in your family, be sure to take the diabetes risk test. Knowing your risk is the first step towards prevention.