‘Avoid junk food, sedentary lifestyle to live healthy life’

LAHORE

Diabetes is on the rise as there are 422 million diabetics in the world and almost 10 percent population of Pakistan is living with the disease. The people can ward off diabetes by adopting healthy lifestyle through use of balanced diet and regular exercise.

“Giving up the habit of junk food and cold drinks, eating fresh fruits and vegetables in daily diet and doing regular walk or exercise daily will help to prevent diabetes,” expressed the eminent medical experts and cricket legend Wasim Akram while addressing the participants of a seminar on diabetes held in connection with World Diabetes Day under the auspices of Mir Khalil-ur-Rahman Memorial Society (Jang Group of Newspapers) in collaboration with ACCU-CHEK here at Allama Iqbal Medical College, the other day.

Legend cricketer Wasim Akram said he had been living with diabetes like a normal person for over two decades now, saying that the diabetics could cope with their disease through will power and healthy change in their sedentary lifestyle. He said the diabetic was himself a doctor as proper care and preventive measures helped him to control diabetes in an effective manner.

“We have become pretty lethargic and sedentary, which tantamount to inviting various diseases,” he said, adding that use of fresh fruits, vegetables and regular exercise would help in preventing diabetes.

Adviser to Chief Minister, on Health, Khawaja Salman Rafique said that diabetes affected all organs of body; therefore, it was necessary to consciously fight against this disease. He said the students were the future leaders of Pakistan and advised them to use polite language with fellow human beings and help the needy as much as possible to mitigate the miseries of the poor in country.

Prof Dr Mahmood Shaukat, Principal Allama Iqbal Medical College/Jinnah Hospital Lahore, advised people to adopt simple lifestyle to prevent against various diseases, including diabetes. As patients are already suffering from disease and poverty, he said, it is doctors’ responsibility to extend best possible treatment and provide proper guidance to them to mitigate their sufferings.

He said that diabetes had become a common disease as it could be inherited as well. “It is in our hands to prevent the disease before happening and control the disease after happening,” he said, adding that the balanced diet, including fresh fruits and vegetables and 35 to 40 minutes of walk play key role 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 Arif Siddiqui, Head of Department of Medicine, AIMC/JHL, also stressed the need to spread awareness and remove misconceptions among the people. “Some diseases like diabetes and blood pressure can neither be diagnosed earlier nor completely cured; therefore, proper care and prevention help in keeping the diseases away,” he said, adding that diabetes and blood pressure required lifetime treatment.  He said the diabetics had to take medicines for life; therefore, it was advisable to prevent and avoid this disease. “If a patient adopts carelessness then serious complications can affect the patient,” he added. He said diabetes was a genetic disease and could be inherited by the children from their diabetic parents, saying that major risk factors for type 2 diabetes include obesity and a sedentary lifestyle. “The diabetes patients and their families need counselling to deal with the disease,” he added.

He said that 25 percent of all patients in hospitals were suffering from various complications of diabetes. He said the use of insulin and medicines among diabetes should be fourth on priority list, adding that the diabetics should adopt healthy lifestyle, use balanced diet, do regular exercise and spend tension-free life.

Dr Khursheed Khan, Professor of Endocrinology at Jinnah Hospital, Lahore, said there were around 422 million patients of diabetes in the world and it was also spreading at a fast pace in Pakistan as almost 10 percent of the population was suffering from this disease. He said diabetes was likely to adopt alarming proportions in the next two decades, saying that diabetes would increase up to 150 percent in Pakistan versus the 32 percent ratio of increase in US by 2025.

He advised people to adopt preventive measures to avoid diabetes through healthy lifestyle. “We need to protect our new generations from this disease,” he said, and advise people to avoid oily and fast foods, cold drinks, sweets, etc., and do regular physical exercise to avoid sugar.

Prof Dr Rashid Zia, Head of ENT, AIMC/JHL, said early diagnosis of diseases, including diabetes was a key towards control, treatment and cure of the diseases. “Every 5th person visiting the outdoor wards of public sector hospitals is suffering from diabetes,” he said, adding that the diabetes was fast spreading among people not only in Pakistan but around the world.

Senior analyst and Geo TV anchor Sohail Warraich said he was living a normal life despite having diabetes as he had been following the advice of the doctor to adopt healthy lifestyle. He said the patients must consult a qualified physician for treatment and must avoid quacks or self-medication, which complicate the disease. He also emphasised on raising awareness among public to prevent diseases. Sohail Malik, Head of Diabetes Unit in Roche Pakistan, said that they had resolved to end diabetes from Pakistan by 2025. “We will extend all kinds of help to the diabetics,” he added.

MKRMS Chairman Wasif Nagi conducted the seminar. Later, the participants of the seminar held a walk to raise the awareness among the public in connection with World Diabetes Day.