Understanding diabetes

Humans are machines that use two types of fuel, sugar and fat. Insulin is a hormone that regulates how each is to be used by the body and when, in order to ensure optimum use of this fuel. A lack of insulin or the body's refusal to obey its orders causes the disease we call diabetes, which leads to increased levels of sugar in the blood and changes the way we use fat. This lecture will explore the basis of diabetes in order to better understand what causes it and its complications. It will also present recent progress in research and the latest advances in treatment and prevention.