Off to the right start

The latest estimates from the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) indicate that there are 382 million people living with diabetes worldwide. By 2035, one in ten persons will have diabetes. A further 316 million people are currently at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes, with the number expected to increase to almost 500 million within a generation.

These facts and figures reiterate the importance of urgent action to protect people at risk and our future generation. In order to raise awareness on the risk and complications associated with diabetes and its prevention, World Diabetes Day is being observed on November 14 each year. Between 2014 and 2016, Health Living and Diabetes is the theme of World Diabetes Day.

This year, the day especially highlighted the importance of eating healthy to help prevent type 2 diabetes and avoid the serious complications. The day also promoted the benefits of starting the day with a healthy breakfast, which can help individuals manage their weight and, for people living with diabetes, keep blood glucose levels stable.

Experts say that over 70% of type 2 diabetes cases can be prevented or delayed by adopting healthier lifestyles. Type 2 diabetes is the most common diabetes occurs in adult and where insulin is reduced or resistant rather than absolute deficiency as seen in type 1 diabetes.

Eating a healthy breakfast is one of the major changes that helps to control appetite and blood glucose concentrations in both adults and children. Moreover, skipping breakfast is associated with weight gain which is one of the main risk factors for type 2 diabetes. Overweight and obesity account for up to 80% of new cases of type 2 diabetes.

Here are some recommendations from the IDF those help people with diabetes to achieve stable control:

• Choosing water or unsweetened coffee or tea instead of fruit juice, soda and other sugar sweetened beverages.
• Eating at least three servings of vegetables every day, including green leafy vegetables such as spinach, lettuce or kale.
• Eating up to three servings of fresh fruit every day.
• Choosing nuts, a piece of fresh fruit or sugar-free yoghurt for a snack.
• Choosing lean cuts of white meat, poultry and seafood instead of processed meat or red meat.
• Choosing peanut butter instead of chocolate spread or jam to spread on bread.
• Choosing whole-grain bread instead of white bread, brown rice instead of white rice, whole grain pasta instead of refined pasta.
• Choosing unsaturated fats (olive oil, canola oil, corn oil, or sunflower oil) instead of saturated fats (butter, ghee, animal fat, coconut oil or palm oil).

The write up is compiled by an endocrinologist Dr Shahjada Selim. Email: selimshahjada@gmail.com