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Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science pp 1–2Cite as

Diabetes

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Synonyms

Diabetes mellitus; DM

Definition

Diabetes is a group of metabolic disorders that are characterized by high blood sugar levels over an extended amount of time.

Introduction

Within the realm of evolutionary medicine, diabetes is often thought of as a form of maladaptation to the conditions of modern society. This modern aliment is often considered to be a prime example of an evolutionary mismatch.

The Evolutionary Relevance of Diabetes

In modern society, there are three major types of diabetes, type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is characterized by the pancreases’ inability to produce insulin due to different potential issues regarding beta cells. Type 2 diabetes is hallmarked by insulin resistance; the cells in the body are failing to properly react to the presence of insulin. Lastly, gestational diabetes can be found uncommonly in pregnant women with no prior history of high blood sugar levels. This type of diabetes typically resolves after the...

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References

  • Lean, M., & Morenga, L. (2016). Sugar and Type 2 diabetes. British Medical Bulletin, 120(1), 43–53.

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  • Moalem, S., Storey, K. B., Percy, M. E., Peros, M. C., & Perl, D. P. (2005). The sweet thing about Type 1 diabetes: A cryoprotective evolutionary adaptation. Medical Hypotheses, 65(1), 8–16.

    Article  Google Scholar 

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. SUNY New Paltz, New Paltz, NY, USA

    Nicholas Primavera

Authors
  1. Nicholas Primavera
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Nicholas Primavera .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Oakland University, Rochester, MI, USA

    Todd K. Shackelford

  2. Rochester, MI, USA

    Viviana A. Weekes-Shackelford

Section Editor information

  1. Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Nipissing University, North Bay, ON, Canada

    Steven Arnocky

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© 2019 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

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Primavera, N. (2019). Diabetes. In: Shackelford, T.K., Weekes-Shackelford, V.A. (eds) Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_732-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_732-1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-16999-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-16999-6

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Behavioral Science and PsychologyReference Module Humanities and Social SciencesReference Module Business, Economics and Social Sciences

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