Pakistan is facing a Type-II diabetes epidemic as around 7.1 million people in the country are already afflicted by the disease. To top that, around 50 percent of these diabetics were not even aware of their health conditions, stated experts at a seminar held on Sunday to mark the World Diabetes Day, observed globally on November 14 (today).
The event was organised by the Diabetic Association of Pakistan and WHO Collaborating Centre, Karachi.
The health experts opined that if immediate corrective measures were not taken, the number of people diagnosed with type II diabetes would double by 2040.
“The number of diabetics is fast increasing owing to the patients’ sedentary lifestyle in addition to Pakistan’s genetic makeup. Obesity is one of the leading causes behind type II diabetes in the country,” observed renowned diabetologist Prof Dr Samad Shera while addressing the event.
Also honorary president of the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), Dr Shera stated that a 30-year-old with a waist measuring 35 inches in addition with a family history of diabetes was bound to become diabetic, sooner or later.
“Unfortunately, Type II diabetes keeps silently growing inside the body without any overt symptoms for six years; but by the time it is diagnosed, nothing can be done to reverse the disease,” he maintained.
Stressing on the need for a mass awareness raising programme, he said the six Ps of education had to be followed, which included educating policymakers, physicians and paramedics, patients, public, press and partnership of all these institutions to manage and control diabetes in Pakistan.
“Frequent urination, excessive thirst and weight loss are not symptoms of type-II diabetes, but are of type-I diabetes which is very rare in Pakistan, and the Asian region in general,” Prof Shera explained.
He also criticised doctors and physicians for not keeping themselves abreast of changes in medical treatment of the disease.
Dr Shera further observed that around 80 percent patients of both type-I and type-II diabetes in Pakistan were wrongly. They were either injecting it in their calves, or in their arms owing to a lack of awareness; the practice often leads to amputation of arms and legs.
“Insulin should either be injected in the lower abdomen or on the upper side of the thighs. Unfortunately, majority of medical practitioners are not aware of the correct places and misguide their patients,” he said.
Speaking on ‘Diet in Diabetes’, another senior diabetologist, Prof Zaman Shaikh, observed that diet played an important role in managing the disease; since weight needed to be controlled.
Patients were advised to increase their intake of fresh vegetables and fibrous fruits which were available in abundance in Pakistan.
Prof Shaikh maintained that natural foods like honey and dates were also not good for diabetics and added that saturated fats like butter, oil and cheese were also fattening and do not fall in the category of healthy food for diabetics.
“Dark chocolate, almonds, other dry fruits, vegetables, boiled rice in small quantity and white meat is recommended for diabetics,” he said.
Baqai Institute of Diabetology and Endocrinology (BIDE) Director Prof Abdul Basit speaking on primary prevention of diabetes stated that extensive lifestyle changes could prevent type-II diabetes.
Caused due to a sedentary lifestyle, obesity and lack of exercise, he urged people to eat less and walk more, and reduce their weight to avoid getting the dreaded disease.
“Obesity has become our national tendency; around 49 percent people are either obese or overweight,” he claimed, adding, that awareness and education was required to get the country to change its eating habits and lifestyle to prevent them from becoming a ‘crippling nation’.
The sessions were also addressed by AKU Prof Najmul Islam, Dr Shabeen Naz Masood, DAP President Mian Mukhtar Ahmed and former Speaker National Assembly Illahi Bux Soomro. — By M. Waqar Bhatti