S4.5.5 For the adult
Blood sugar and diabetes
You eat a sweet meal one hour and nothing the next. Why does the sugar in your blood stay about the same?
What this chapter teaches
The pancreas keeps blood glucose steady by negative feedback. Insulin lowers it, because the liver and muscles take in glucose and store it as glycogen. Glucagon raises it. In type 1 diabetes the body makes too little insulin. In type 2 the cells respond badly. Sugar alone does not cause diabetes. A health worker should advise on testing and treatment.
Three questions to ask
There is no one right wording. Listen for the idea.
- What do insulin and glucagon each do, and why does the body need both?
- How is type 1 diabetes different from type 2?
- Can eating sugar alone cause diabetes? What would you say to someone who believes it can?
After the chapter, the learner can
- Explain how insulin controls blood sugar
- Compare type 1 and type 2 diabetes and how each is managed
What they copy into their notebook
Glucose high: pancreas releases insulin, cells and liver take in glucose, liver stores glycogen. Glucose low: glucagon, liver releases glucose. Type 1: too little insulin. Type 2: cells respond badly. See a health worker.