‘Balanced diet, exercise can ward off diabetes’

LAHORE

Prevention is the best cure of diabetes and balanced diet, regular exercise and healthy lifestyle keep the disease away. 

“Giving up junk food and cold drinks, making fresh fruits and vegetables part of diet and doing regular walk or exercise daily will help prevent diabetes,” medical experts said at a seminar on “Keeping a Close Eye on Diabetes” organised by Mir Khalil-ur-Rahman Memorial Society (Jang Group of Newspapers) in collaboration with CCL Pharmaceuticals at a local hotel. 

Prof Dr Zafarullah Khan, former Vice Chancellor of King Edward Medical University and chief guest of the seminar, said the diabetes was fast spreading among people not only in Pakistan but around the world. “The diabetes is also a genetic disease and can be inherited by children from their diabetic parents,” he said, adding major risk factors for type 2 diabetes include obesity and a sedentary lifestyle. 

He said diabetic patients, after diagnosis of the disease, needed to take preventive measures to avoid contributing factors that increase harmful effects of the disease. “The patients should determine the type and quantity of their diet,” he said, adding that the meals and small quantity would help control sugar. He said the syringe used to take insulin can be used from up to eight days.

Dr Shahzad Khan, Chief Operating Officer CCL Pharmaceuticals, in his opening remarks, said approximately 410 million people were suffering from diabetes in the world and with this pace the diabetes was expected to affect up to 640 million people by 2040. He said every second was being diagnosed with diabetes therefore it was necessary to keep a close on the diabetes. He informed that CCL Pharma was the second largest company in export of medicines in Pakistan and was working in 10 countries of the world.

Prof Dr Aziz-ur-Rehman, former Professor of Medicine at Services Hospital Lahore, said diabetes had become a common disease as even 30-year-olds were also being diagnosed with this disease and additionally it can be inherited as well. “It is in our hands to prevent the disease before happening and to control the disease after happening,” he said, adding the balanced diet with fresh fruits and vegetables and 35 to 40 minutes of walk are the key to keep diabetes away. “If preventive measures are not adopted then diabetes can be dangerous and can invite more diseases to the patient,” he added.

Prof Dr Ali Jawa, Professor of Endocrinology at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), Islamabad, said that the diabetic pregnant woman could be harmful for both mother and newborn therefore it was necessary for mothers-to-be to avoid the disease for bearing children. He said that the obese pregnant women were more vulnerable to contract diabetes therefore they must watch their weight.

Prof Dr Nasir Mahmood Malik, Professor of Medicine at Jinnah Hospital Lahore, said that the diabetic patients had to take medicines for life therefore it was advisable to prevent and avoid this disease.

Prof Dr Khursheed Khan, Professor of Endocrinology at Jinnah Hospital Lahore, also advised to adopt preventive measures to avoid diabetes through healthy lifestyle. “We need to protect our new generations from this disease,” he said, and advised people to avoid oily and fast foods, cold drinks, sweets, etc., and do regular physical exercise to avoid sugar.

Dr Zaheer Akhtar, Associate Professor at Gulab Devi Hospital, said that combination of tuberculosis and diabetes could be lethal, saying if a sugar patient contracts TB then he could potentially transmit TB to at least 14 persons in one year. He said that the use of insulin and medicines among diabetes should be fourth on priority list, adding the diabetic patients should adopt healthy lifestyle, use balanced diet, do regular exercise and spend tension free life.

Muhammad Akram, Director Marketing and Sales CCL Pharmaceuticals, said approximately 12 per cent of the health budget worldwide was spent on prevention, control and treatment of diabetes. He said CCL Pharma had launched a “Partner in Prevention” programme to spread awareness among the masses so that they were able to lead healthy lives. MKRMS Chairman Wasif Nagi conducted the seminar.