Diabetes is a disease.

For our bodies to work properly we need to convert sugar into energy.

With diabetes, a hormone called insulin, which is essential for the conversions of the glucose (sugar) into energy, is no longer produced in sufficient amounts by the body or the insulin produced is not working properly.

There are two main types of diabetes.

• Type 1 or insulin dependent diabetes (Juvenile Diabetes) which usually affect children, teenagers and young adults and requires daily injections of insulin; and
  
• Type 2 or non-insulin dependent Diabetes (Adult-onset Diabetes), which usually affects people over the age of 45 years and is treated by healthy eating and regular exercise. Tablets and insulin injections are sometimes necessary.
  

This second type is the more common form of diabetes.