If diabetes were a nation called ‘Diabetia’, it would be the sixth most populated nation on earth, behind China, India, the US, Indonesia and Brazil. According to WHO, the number of people with diabetes has risen from 108 million in 1980 to 422 million in 2014. The global prevalence of diabetes among adults over 18 years of age has risen from 4.7 per cent in 1980 to 8.5 per cent in 2014.
Oman through its official social media platforms has been conducting campaigns on diabetes, urging people to take note of the symptoms such as frequent thirst and urination, weight loss, slow healing of wounds, blurred vision, perpetual hunger, sense of inactivity and fatigue.
“The modern nature of one’s jobs cannot be seen as an excuse for ignoring threats from lifestyle diseases. They may be unavoidable but one can easily follow strict diet rules, avoid junk food and give some time for exercises,” said Dr Ali, one of the diabetic health expert at the Ministry of Health.
“It is not that all health issues are due to an individual action or inaction but the lack of seriousness towards personal health in today’s era of health insurance and premiums play a major role,” he said.
He said from the early school days, people should be made to believe that prevention is better than going on lifetime medications, which could develop into different health complications.
Nearly around 15 per cent of the Omani population is said to be having diabetes.
The WHO says in 2015, an estimated 1.6 million deaths were directly caused by diabetes, another 2.2 million deaths were attributable to high sugar in 2012.
Almost half of all deaths attributable to high blood glucose occur before the age of 70 years. WHO projects that diabetes will be the seventh leading cause of death in 2030.
Healthy diet, regular physical activity, maintaining a normal body weight and avoiding tobacco use are ways to prevent or delay the onset of Type 2 diabetes.
Diabetes can be treated and its consequences avoided or delayed with diet, physical activity, medication and regular screening and treatment for complications. It is a major cause of blindness, kidney failure, heart attacks, stroke and lower limb amputation.
In 2014, 8.5 per cent of adults aged 18 years and older had diabetes. In 2015, diabetes was the direct cause of 1.6 million deaths and in 2012 high blood glucose was the cause of another 2.2 million deaths.
Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs either when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces.
Type 2 diabetes comprises the majority of people with diabetes around the world, and is largely the result of excess body weight and physical inactivity.
Unlike Type 1 diabetes, the Type 2 may be diagnosed several years after onset, once complications have already arisen. Until recently, this type of diabetes was seen only in adults but it is now also occurring increasingly frequently in children.
Vinod Nair
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