Diabetes is a chronic medical condition that is associated with elevated blood sugar levels in the body. Diabetes often leads to cardiovascular disease, stroke, kidney damage, and long-term damage to the extremities (that is, limbs and eyes).
It is estimated that there are 415 million people in the world suffering from diabetes, with up to 5 million deaths every year attributed to diabetes-related complications. In the United States, diabetes is estimated to be the seventh highest cause of death. Clearly, diabetes is a cause of concern to the wellbeing of modern society.
Diabetes can be divided into two subtypes: type 1 and type 2. Type 1 diabetes results from the body's inability to produce sufficient insulin. Type 1 diabetes is relatively rare compared to type 2 diabetes, and it only accounts for approximately 5% of diabetes....