Climate change and heat: What is the impact on people with diabetes?
The increase in heat periods as a result of climate change can be more critical for people with diabetes than for metabolically healthy people. This is especially true at older ages. The article "Heat and diabetes" from diabinfo.de deals with helpful tips for people with diabetes and at the same time shows what a healthy and equally climate-friendly lifestyle can look like. The information is also clearly presented in the videos "Heat in diabetes: how the body reacts", "6 tips in the heat" and "Sustainable and healthy living".
"One of the main issues related to diabetes and heat is the risk of blood glucose levels rising or falling, causing hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia. People with diabetes also have a higher risk of heat exhaustion,” explains Dr. Alexandra Schneider, head of the Environmental Risks Research Group at the Institute of Epidemiology at Helmholtz Munich. "This can occur when the body does not have enough fluids and salts at high temperatures, often together with physical exertion, and is thus overwhelmed with cooling. Consequently, it cannot sweat enough and tries to cool itself in other ways. For this reason, people with diabetes should increase their fluid intake in warm weather by drinking water regularly throughout the day to compensate for the loss when the body tries to cool itself by sweating," says Alexandra Schneider.
To learn more, listen to the new podcast with Dr. Alexandra Schneider, "Climate change and heat - what does it mean for our health?" - to find on all current streaming services.
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diabinfo.de is a joint service of Helmholtz Munich, the German Diabetes Center (DDZ) and the German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD). The national diabetes information portal was initiated by the Federal Center for Health Education (BZgA). Funding is provided by the BZgA, the Federal Ministry of Health (BMG) and the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).
diabinfo.de provides quality-assured and scientifically based information on preventing the disease and on living with diabetes - in addition to Turkish, Russian, Polish and Ukrainian, recently also in English. The information is aimed at people with diabetes, people at increased risk of diabetes, as well as family members, diabetes counselors and interested parties. In addition to basic knowledge, current news, background articles and frequently asked questions, the online portal offers explanatory videos, podcasts, infographics and quizzes. Teaching materials are available for teachers to download free of charge. diabinfo.de participates in the Reliable Health Knowledge program of the German Network for Health Literacy (DNGK). Stay up to date about diabetes and register now for free and without obligation for the monthly diabinfo.de newsletter.
