Description: Diabetes has acquired its name from the Greek word “siphon”. Diabetes is a disorder of the metabolism and the endocrine system, and is a blood-related disease. It has two forms: Diabetes mellitus (from the Greek word for sugar) and Diabetes insipidus. The main causes of this disorder are that either the body does not produce enough insulin, as happens in type 1 diabetes, or it does not use the available insulin in a proper manner, as in type 2 diabetes. Insulin is a hormone that helps the body convert glucose into energy. The factors which contribute to diabetes include lack of exercise, excessive weight, age, poor diet and, most importantly, genetics.