‘One in two people with diabetes are undiagnosed’

Inactivity, unhealthy eating habits, lack of exercise among leading causes of the disease

ISLAMABAD: Around half of all those affected by diabetes either do not know they are afflicted by it or have not yet been diagnosed with it.

This was stated by medical experts during a seminar about the disease on Wednesday in connection with World Diabetes Day at the Shifa International Hospital (SIH).

Senate Standing Committee on National Health Services Regulations and Coordination Chairperson Senator Khush Bakht Shujat, who was the chief guest, addressed the seminar. She said that the theme for the day this year is protecting your family by raising awareness about the impact of diabetes and promoting the role of the family in the management, care, prevention and education of diabetes.

She stressed the need to educate the communities to restrain inactive lifestyle, unhealthy eating habits, lack of exercise and physical activity, which are amongst the major, controllable factors to prevent diabetes.

SIH Consultant Endocrinologist Dr Osama Ishtiaq said that overall diabetes prevalence in Pakistan is 19 per cent while over 522 million people are currently living with diabetes around the world.

Most of these cases, he explained, were type-2 diabetes, which is largely preventable through regular physical activity, a healthy and balanced diet, and the promotion of healthy living environments.

“Families have a key role to play in addressing the modifiable risk factors for type-2 diabetes for patients and they must be provided with educational awareness resources and a suitable environment to live and adopt a healthier lifestyle,” Dr Ishtiaq said.

However, the endocrinologist explained that type-1 diabetes is not preventable but it can be managed with insulin injections.

Endocrinologist Dr Umar Khan explained that diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs when the pancreas is no longer able to produce the hormone insulin, or when the body cannot make good use of the insulin it does produce.

Over time, high glucose levels are associated with damage to the body and failure of various organs and tissues, he said.

Diabetes, he said, can also lead to several other issues, including heart disease — of which it is a leading cause, stroke, blindness, kidney failure, and lower limb amputation.

Dr Umar further said that one in every two people currently living with diabetes is undiagnosed and that most diabetes cases are of type-2. Early diagnosis and treatment are key elements to prevent the complications of diabetes and achieve healthy outcomes, he stated. 

Published in The Express Tribune, November 14^th, 2019.