Amid the global trends of aging populations and decreasing birthrates, the number of people living with chronic illnesses is rising, especially those with diabetes and dementia, and studies have shown there might be a link between the two.
The number of dementia cases worldwide last year increased by 10 million, and is expected to reach 150 million by 2050, Alzheimer’s Disease International’s latest data showed.
In Taiwan, there are 3.4 million people aged 65 or older, among which 280,000 have dementia, meaning that there is one dementia case for every 84 Taiwanese, Taiwan Alzheimer’s Disease Association data showed.
The association forecast that in the next 47 years, the number of people who develop dementia would average 36 per day, or one every 40 minutes.
Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital physician Lin Chia-hung (林嘉鴻) said that a direct cause of dementia had not yet been identified, but a growing number of studies have suggested a link between dementia and diabetes.
That is why “type 3 diabetes” has become a newly proposed term to describe the hypothesis that Alzheimer’s disease — a major cause of dementia — is triggered by a type of insulin resistance and insulin deficiency that occurs specifically in the brain, Lin said.
“Due to medications or dietary habits, diabetes patients often experience low blood sugar, which increases the risk of brain cell damage,” he said.
The reason that dementia is considered “diabetes in the brain” by some people has to do with insulin resistance, Lin said, adding that impaired glucose metabolism in the brain leads to degeneration and dysfunction of brain cells.
As diabetes accelerates atherosclerosis — a hardening of the arteries — a lack of oxygen in the brain can occur, affecting brain functions, he said.
Dementia is not exclusive to old people, as the younger a person is when diagnosed with diabetes, the higher their risk of diabetes complications, especially in patients with poorly controlled blood sugar levels marked by great fluctuations, Lin said, adding that a majority of studies on links between dementia and diabetes concerns type 2 diabetes.
Also a diabetic himself, Lin said he always stresses to his patients the importance of glycemic control, which is practiced by eating foods high in fibers, such as vegetables and fruits, and low in fats, sugars and with a low glycemic-index rating.
Oatmeal and brown rice are better options than refined carbohydrates, such as pork buns, steamed buns and bread, he said, adding that eating three meals at regular times and with consistent amounts also helps.
In addition to medication and maintaining a healthy diet, controlling blood pressure and lipids also helps with lowering the risk of diabetes complications, as well as cross-departmental care in the prevention of the narrowing and hardening of arteries, he said.
EXPANSIONIST: China deploys an average of 40 to 50 warships and coast guard vessels daily in the South China Sea, despite pledges not to militarize the region, an official said China is attempting to expand its influence across the First Island Chain and increase pressure on Japan by sending coast guard vessels into waters off of Taiwan under the pretext of maritime negotiations with Japan and the Philippines, a national security official said yesterday. China’s recent actions in the waters east of Taiwan and Japan and the Philippines’ exclusive economic zones (EEZ) are attempts to establish dominance in First Island Chain waters, said the official who declined to be named, adding that this is “expansion disguised as law enforcement.” Framing China’s actions solely as a cross-strait issue is a serious misjudgment that
Through analyzing fossil evidence, a research team at National Taiwan University (NTU) discovered the largest endemic bird to have lived in Taiwan, naming it Pavo miejue, or extinct peafowl (滅絕孔雀). The Mikado pheasant, which is printed on the back of the NT$1,000 bank note, was previously believed to be the biggest endemic bird to Taiwan. The research team’s findings suggest that Pavo miejue lived during the Pleistocene epoch tens of thousands of years ago. It is the first endemic extinct bird species discovered and formally named in Taiwan. The study was coauthored by NTU Institute of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology professor Tsai Cheng-hsiu (蔡政修),
Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport is to suspend its automated Skytrain service connecting Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 starting on July 1 to facilitate connection works for the upcoming Terminal 3, the airport operator said today. Passengers and staff who need to travel between the two terminals after the suspension can instead use the Taoyuan MRT or the airport's 24-hour shuttle bus service, Taoyuan International Airport Corp said. The Taoyuan MRT Airport Line directly links the two terminals, while the shuttle buses are to operate around the clock, the company added. The Skytrain provides free transportation between the airport’s two terminals for travelers and
Taiwan ranked 42nd in terms of peacefulness among 163 countries, down five places from last year, according to this year’s Global Peace Index. With an overall score of 1.751, Taiwan dropped from 37th last year, the report published by the global Institute for Economics and Peace showed. The overall score measures a country’s level of peacefulness using 23 quantitative and qualitative indicators across three domains — ongoing domestic and international conflict, societal safety and security, and militarization. While Taiwan ranked 42nd worldwide, it was listed in ninth place among the 19 Asian-Pacific countries in the report, after New Zealand, Singapore, Japan, Malaysia,
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