Nutritional Principles in Nursing: Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (Term Paper Sample)

Nutritional Principles in Nursing: Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation
Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
Introduction
Type 2 diabetes mellitus is an incurable disease the affects millions of people (American Diabetes Association, 2019). The disease is also known as Type 2 diabetes or adult-onset diabetes and it occurs as a result of high sugar levels in the blood. The name adult-onset diabetes came about because of its prevalence in middle- and late-adulthood, but, in recent years, the disease has become common in children and teens because of the increased levels of obesity. Type 2 diabetes mellitus is more common as compared to type 1 diabetes and they both differ significantly in terms of characteristics (American Diabetes Association, 2019). Type 2 diabetes mellitus is defined as chronic illness that interferes with how glucose is metabolized in the body (Zaccardi et al., 2016). This interference leads to either lower insulin production or the body resisting insulin. Insulin is vital in the process of regulating sugar movements into the cells, and, therefore, underproduction or resistance leads to abnormal glucose levels in the blood. The disease affects major organs such as the heart, kidneys, eyes, nerves, and blood levels, which if not managed can lead to adverse consequences like death (Zaccardi et al., 2016).