Tips to protect yourself from diabetes

Tips to protect yourself from diabetes
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Highlights

To increase awareness about this important and ever increasing disease, the World Diabetes Day (WDD) is celebrated every year on November 14. The World Diabetes Day campaign for 2014 marks the first of a three-year (2014-16) focus on healthy living and diabetes.

To increase awareness about this important and ever increasing disease, the World Diabetes Day (WDD) is celebrated every year on November 14. The World Diabetes Day campaign for 2014 marks the first of a three-year (2014-16) focus on healthy living and diabetes.

“India has acquired the distinction of being the diabetes capital of the world. The risk of developing diabetes is increasing with a prevalence of around 62 million all over the country and an added 77 million in the pre diabetes stage. The prevalence in AP is around 24 per cent.

Indians are different in terms of body fat distribution and metabolism which along with genetic factors makes them more susceptible. The Indian diet has a high glycemic index with larger postprandial peaks. Added to this is the change in lifestyle and eating habits which is posing a challenge to the medical fraternity and ultimately the society,” Dr Sridevi Paladugu, consultant endocrinologist, Apollo Hospitals, Hyderabad, said.

Steps to keep diabetes under control

Eat healthy

For overweight or obese adults with Type-2 diabetes or at risk for diabetes, reducing energy intake while maintaining a healthy eating pattern is recommended to promote weight loss. People with diabetes should consume fiber and whole grains. They should avoid intake of sugar-sweetened beverages, quit smoking and limit alcohol intake.

Exercise

Adults with diabetes should exercise for 20-30 minutes daily. Patients with long standing diabetes and complications should seek medical advice before starting exercise. Children with Type-2 diabetes or prone to develop diabetes should undertake aerobic exercise for an hour daily. Meditation or yoga are excellent for relieving stress. Sleep is also essential for the body to rejuvenate.

Regular medication

Compliance with medication is a must for every diabetic. Diabetes is a disease which can be controlled but not cured.

Monitoring blood glucose levels

Daily monitoring of blood glucose is ideal. Frequent monitoring in lab is also acceptable. Monitoring of average blood glucose is also essential part of diabetic monitoring. Yearly assessment of complication status helps in early detection and prevention of them.

Diabetes : Facts and Figures

  • About 35 crore people worldwide have diabetes.
  • In 2004, about 34 lakh people died worldwide from consequences of high blood sugar.
  • More than 80 per cent of diabetes-related deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries, including India.
  • WHO projects that diabetes deaths will increase two thirds by 2030.
  • Diabetes is predicted to become the seventh leading cause of death in the world by the year 2030.
  • Total deaths from diabetes are projected to rise by more than 50% in the next 10 years.
  • There are two major forms of diabetes, Type 1 and Type 2.
  • Type 1 diabetes is characterised by a lack of insulin production and type 2 diabetes results from the body's ineffective use of insulin.
  • Type 2 fiabetes is common in those who are overweight, who do not do exercise and lead a sedentary lifestyle.
  • Another type of diabetes is gestational diabetes characterised by raised blood sugar, which has been recognized during pregnancy.
  • Type 2 diabetes is much more common than type 1 diabetes.
  • Type 2 accounts for 90 per cent of all diabetes worldwide.
  • Type 2 diabetes used to be rare in children in the past. Recently, Type 2 Diabetes is common even in children and teenagers and accounts for 50 per cent of childhood diabetes cases in India.
  • Cardiovascular disease is responsible for between 50 per cent and 80 per cent of deaths in people with diabetes.
  • Diabetes is a leading cause of blindness, amputation and kidney failure worldwide.
  • Type 2 diabetes can be prevented. Thirty minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity on most days and a healthy diet can drastically reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
  • Diabetes-risk in Asians is five times the rate of the white population.
  • India is the diabetes capital of the world. It is estimated that currently there are 4 crore people with diabetes in India and by 2025 this number will increase to 7 crore. This would mean every fifth diabetic in the world would be an Indian.
  • In some Indian cities, every 1 in 5 adults is a diabetic

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