People urged to fix eating habits to avoid becoming diabetics

 
November 17, 2019

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By M. Waqar Bhatti

National and international experts on Saturday urged the people to fix their eating habits and adopt a healthy style of living to avoid becoming diabetics, as Pakistan ranks fourth on the list of countries with the highest number of diabetes patients. They warned that due to their improper eating habits, growing obesity and refraining from physical activities, Pakistan is likely to rank third on the list after India and China by 2045. They advised the authorities to prepare a national diabetes action plan to save more than 10 million children who are obese in the country and have the potential to become diabetics in the coming years. They made these statements while addressing the inaugural session as well as the different scientific sessions of the 17th Pakistan Endocrine Society Conference, which began at a local hotel on Saturday. International endocrinologists and diabetologists from different countries of Europe, including the United Kingdom, Poland and Germany, as well as those of the Middle East and the Americas attended the conference and discussed the prevailing scenario in the field of endocrinology and diabetology. Eminent endocrinologist and office-bearer of the Pakistan Endocrine Society (PES) Prof Tasnim Ahsan said Pakistan is facing an obesity-driven epidemic of diabetes that needs to be taken seriously by the authorities. She said that according to new statistics released by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), more than 19 million or 17.1 per cent of the country’s population is diabetic, which should be taken very seriously by the authorities as well as the people. “In Pakistan people only care for eating in their entire lives. The only recreation for most of them is eating and only eating. This habit combined with a lack of physical activity is resulting in obesity, especially truncal obesity, which is the leading cause of diabetes among Pakistanis.” She also spoke about thyroid dysfunction and diseases among Pakistani women, saying these disorders are more common in women as compared to men, while another major issue faced by Pakistani women is polycystic ovarian syndrome, which results in various issues, including the inability to bear children. Renowned endocrinologist Prof Zaman Shaikh spoke about infertility among men and women in Pakistan due to genetic causes and hormonal imbalances, saying that most of the infertility issues are treatable in the country, where all kinds of diagnostic and treatment facilities, including the test-tube facility, are available. “Diabetes, heavy smoking and consumption of alcohol are the leading causes of infertility among men, while hormonal imbalances and chromosomal disorders are the main causes of infertility among women,” he said. He urged people with infertility to consult expert endocrinologists to get their issues resolved. Speaking on diabetes, he said people should take care of kids by providing them a healthy environment, healthy food and opportunities for sports and exercise, adding that childhood obesity is on the rise across the country. Prof Leszek Czupryniak of the Medical University of Warsaw in Poland spoke about new, non-insulin treatments and therapies for the management of diabetes, saying that new injectable drugs have been introduced that can be taken only once a week. He urged the pharmaceutical firms to reduce their prices so that a large number of people can afford them. Earlier, speaking at the inaugural session of the conference, PES President Prof Khurshid Khan and Organising Committee Chairman Prof Najmul Islam said their organisation has been regularly holding annual conferences and continuing medical education activities for the past 18 years, which have been proving beneficial for a large number of emerging physicians and endocrinologists who cannot afford trainings abroad. Prominent diabetologist and IDF President for Middle East & North Africa region Prof Abdul Basit spoke about the importance of a national diabetes action plan. He stressed educating children at schools to save them from obesity, changing the nation’s eating habits, creating an urge among people for sports and other physical activities and using their energy and resources for meaningful activities.

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