World Health Day is celebrated on 7 April every year to mark the anniversary of the founding of the World Health Organisation (WHO) in 1948. Each year, a theme is selected by the WHO that highlights a priority area of public health.
This year, the WHO is drawing global attention towards the rise of diabetes and focusing on ways to halt it.
In 2008, an estimated 347 million people in the world had diabetes and the prevalence is growing, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. In 2012, the disease was the direct cause of some 1.5 million deaths, with more than 80% of those occurring in low- and middle-income countries. WHO projects that diabetes will be the 7th leading cause of death by 2030.
In 2008, an estimated 347 million people in the world had diabetes and the prevalence is growing, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. In 2012, the disease was the direct cause of some 1.5 million deaths, with more than 80% of those occurring in low- and middle-income countries. WHO projects that diabetes will be the 7th leading cause of death by 2030.
In India, diabetes has been growing at an alarming rate mainly from unhealthy eating habits, stress and lack of physical activity. According to the WHO, India stands to be the ‘Diabetes Capital of the World’ with an estimated 50.9 million suffering from diabetes. This figure is likely to go up to 80 million by 2025.
5 Tips to Prevent Diabetes
1. Eat Right – Make healthy food choices that help you lower your weight and keep your blood sugar level in check. Stock your fridge and kitchen with these blood sugar-friendly staples – lentils, nuts, beans, barley, oats, berries, green tea, dates, green leafy vegetables. Don’t skip meals.
2. Exercise – Physical inactivity raises the risk of diabetes. Exercise renders cells more sensitive to insulin.Lack of exercise also leads to weight gain and being overweight is a big risk factor for diabetes. For every kilogram of weight lost, you reduce your risk of diabetes 16 percent. When you move more every day, you will burn more calories. Try to get at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity five days a week. If you have not been active, start off slowly, building up to your goal. Try brisk walking, dancing, swimming, biking, jogging, or any physical activity that helps get your heart rate up. You don’t have to get all your physical activity at one time.
Read QNET Brand Ambassador Martina Hingis’ Fitness Tips if you need some guidance on getting started.
3. Cut down Sugar Consumption – We Indians love our sweets. No celebration is complete without a wide range of sweet offerings. Unfortunately, excess sugar consumption is a major cause of diabetes. Excessive sugar accumulates in our bodies, causing health conditions like obesity, tooth decay, diabetes and an impaired immune system.
Most of us consume too much sugar without realising it as it’s well hidden in processed foods. Switch to a natural sugar substitute like QNET’s Natose Stevia Liquid Concentrate. It is an100% natural, zero calorie sweetener with a number of health benefits.
4. Get regular medical check-ups – Warning signs of type 2 diabetes are less dramatic than those of type 1 diabetes. That’s why it’s important to see your doctor regularly. Get a blood-sugar screening done:
- If you are age 45 or older and overweight.
- You’re younger than age 45 and overweight with one or more additional risk factors for type 2 diabetes — such as a sedentary lifestyle or a family history of diabetes
5. Quit Drinking and Smoking – The best thing to do for your health, whether or not you have diabetes, is to quit smoking as soon as you can. Research shows that smokers are 30–40% more likely to develop type 2 diabetes, than non-smokers. The more cigarettes you smoke, the higher your risk for type 2 diabetes. No matter what type of diabetes you have, smoking makes your diabetes harder to control.
Consuming alcohol when you have diabetes poses another danger to your health. For instance, if you take insulin or diabetes medicine by mouth, too much alcohol may lower your blood sugar for up to 12 hours after drinking, especially if you drink on an empty stomach or increase your physical activity.
