Patrick Dube would like to know about diabetes.

Patrick Dube would like to know about diabetes.

Diabetes is a disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin, the hormone needed to convert sugar, starches and other food into the energy needed for daily life. The cause of diabetes continues to be a mystery, though genetics and environmental factors such as obesity and lack of exercise appear to play roles.

There are different types of diabetes: Type 1 diabetes results from the body's failure to produce insulin.

Type 2 diabetes results from insulin resistance, a condition in which the body fails to properly use insulin, combined with relative insulin deficiency. Gestational diabetes affects about 4percent of all pregnant women.

Pre-diabetes is a condition that occurs when a person's blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough for a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes.

diabetes.org; wikipedia.org; health24.com; medhelp.org