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Type I and II Diabetes

insulin syringe
Diabetes on the whole affects over 29 million people in the US. It’s a chronic disease whereby the pancreas stops producing insulin or produces very little. Insulin breaks down sugar in the body and converts it to energy. This means that insulin is essential for life.

Type I diabetes is mainly found in children and younger adults. In this, the pancreas does not produce any insulin at all, and artificial insulin must be injected daily in order to survive.

Type II diabetes, also called adult onset diabetes, happens when people develop insulin resistance. The pancreas still produces a little insulin, but the body does not respond to it. Type II can be found in children but is more common in adults. Causes are related to obesity and lack of exercise. Because of the rise in childhood obesity, more and more children are being diagnosed with it. Type II diabetes is treated with oral medication and sometimes insulin injections.

Diabetics test their blood sugar regularly to maintain control and prevent complications. Both the injection of insulin and testing of blood sugar generate many sharps which need to be correctly disposed of. Diabetics must be educated to do this by purchasing a sharps container from a drugstore or pharmacy. Some cities have collection sites for dropping off full sharpscontainers safely.