Muscat: Diabetes is one of the most common non-communicable diseases, and the number of people suffering from this disease increases every year. It is one of the main priorities of public health.
Adherence to the treatment prescribed by the doctor and following a healthy lifestyle helps the patient control diabetes and protect their health from complications.
Prevention or delay of diabetes focuses on lifestyle modification, which means modifying your daily habits to help control blood sugar levels and reduce other risk factors.
This includes eating according to principles, engaging in physical activity and appropriate exercise, along with maintaining good health habits.
Over the past three decades, there has been an alarming rise in diabetes, reflecting the sudden increase in obesity rates exacerbated by the impact of marketing unhealthy foods, lack of physical activity and economic difficulties.
The Sultanate of Oman is one of the countries with diabetes rates exceeding the global average, estimated at 9.3 per cent in 2019. The prevalence of diabetes among adults in Oman is about 11.4 per cent, according to the National Health Survey in 2017.
Therefore, concerted efforts and cooperation of all sectors in supporting and financing health policies, increasing awareness efforts and providing a supportive health environment have become an urgent requirement to achieve the desired goal.
A scientific study revealed that a patient’s adherence to dietary guidelines for diabetes is vital for continuous control of blood sugar levels and long-term health outcomes. However, switching to a healthy diet often means abandoning acquired eating habits and many related small behaviours. Adherence to medications requires very few well-defined and brief daily procedures.
Dr Waseem al Sheikh, an endocrinologist and diabetes specialist, stated that early diagnosis of diabetes and immediate treatment of complications improves the quality of life and enhances the healthcare of the patient.
Furthermore, statistics indicate an increase in the prevalence of diabetes globally, with more than 800 million adults diagnosed worldwide, according to new data published in The Lancet on World Diabetes Day.
In the medical sector, dealing with common diseases like diabetes is considered a qualitative shift and a fundamental pillar. To reduce the risk of diabetes, a healthy lifestyle must be followed, including working to reduce weight to the ideal range, maintaining physical activity, following a balanced diet, avoiding causes of cardiovascular diseases, and managing stress and anxiety.
Diabetes is a disease that requires extreme caution because uncontrolled diabetes can lead to heart disease. Diabetes significantly increases the risk of heart problems such as coronary artery disease, heart attack, stroke and arterial narrowing. If you have diabetes, you are more likely to experience heart disease or stroke.
The more you know about the factors affecting your blood sugar, the better equipped you are to control your diabetes. If you are struggling to keep your blood sugar within your target range, ask your diabetes healthcare team for help.
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