Most of the food we eat is broken down into glucose, the form of sugar in the blood that is the main source of fuel for the body. After digestion, glucose passes into the bloodstream, where it is used by cells for growth and energy. For glucose to get into cells, insulin must be present. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas, a large gland behind the stomach.

When we eat, the pancreas automatically produces the right amount of insulin to move glucose from blood into our cells. In people with diabetes, however, the pancreas either produces little or no insulin, or the cells do not respond appropriately to the insulin that is produced.

• Diabetes is a chronic (lifelong) disease marked by high levels of sugar in the blood. There are three main types of diabetes:
  • Type 1 diabetes
  • Type 2 diabetes
  • Gestational diabetes

• Metabolic syndrome