Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects the body’s ability to create and/or use insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas that is the key to turning sugars into energy. As a result, people with diabetes suffer from abnormally high levels of blood sugar, which over time can lead to cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, vision loss, and nerve damage, potentially leading to disability or premature death. Over 420 million people worldwide are living with this disease, and more people die of diabetes-related diseases than of HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis combined.

Diabetes thus ranks as one of our most pressing global public health challenges, but experts in this field have made important progress in understanding the impacts of this condition and how it can be treated. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over 90% of people suffering from this illness have type 2 diabetes, which develops over many years and can be prevented or delayed with lifestyle changes such as a healthy diet and exercise. Thus, nutrition and education have a crucial role to play in managing diabetes impacts.

Given the prevalence of this chronic disease, an understanding of diabetes is important for many careers in medicine and public health. Epidemiologists and other public health experts play an invaluable role in improving our understanding of what causes diabetes, how social, economic, and environmental factors can influence genetic risk factors, and communicating to the public the dangers of this condition and how it can be treated.

Nutritionists also have a particularly important role to play in the treatment of type 2 diabetes, as dietary changes can play a major role in preventing or delaying additional health complications that can accompany this condition. They may work at clinics and hospitals or in their own private practices to advise patients suffering from diabetes or other conditions on what to eat in order to meet their specific health needs. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, dieticians and nutritionists typically have at least a bachelor’s degree and often state licensing to practice, and they earned a median annual salary of $61,270 in 2019.

Yes! Coursera offers opportunities to learn remotely about a wide range of topics in medicine and public health, including courses about diabetes. You can learn about this global health challenge from top-ranked universities from around the world, including Imperial College London, University of Copenhagen, and University of Sydney. You can also learn how public health experts use data science for modelling the spread of diabetes and other diseases by completing step-by-step tutorials alongside experienced instructors as part of Coursera’s Guided Projects.