THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Thanks to unhealthy diet and sedentary lifestyle, diabetics has emerged a serious health concern. Diabetologists and endocrinologists are of the opinion that making a paradigm shift to one’s dietary and lifestyle could not only prevent diabetes but also other non-communicable diseases (NCD) like hypertension, heart disease and stroke.
“Maintaining a healthy and balanced diet combined with physical activities is the key to preventing NCD like diabetes and heart diseases,” said Dr Sreejith N Kumar, national chairman, IMA Food Safety Initiative.According to him, diabetes could not only lead to complications like stroke, blindness, heart attack, kidney failure and amputation but also increase the risk of dying prematurely.
“Obesity is the root cause for NCD. Carbohydrates are a must for our body at a moderate level. But, our foodstyle is largely carbohydrate-driven which increases the risk of obesity and NCD,” adds Sreejith.
He further adds choosing foods that are lower in fat and calories and higher in fiber is a must to avoid obesity. Consumption of fruits, locally grown vegetables and green leafy vegetables are also highly recommended. Care should also be taken to restrict salt intake, avoiding consumption of sugar and choosing unsaturated fats over saturated fats.
Rising cases
422 million adults have diabetes
1.5 million deaths caused by diabetes
Main types of diabetes- Type 1 diabetes, Type 2 diabetes and Gestational Diabetes
Reasons for diabetes- an unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, family history and others
According to WHO, one in three is overweight and one in ten is obese
Eat Healthy
Be physically active, avoid excessive weight gain and keep a tab on glucose levels