Jahangeer Ganaie
Srinagar, Nov 14: Kashmir is witnessing an uptick in diabetic population with the majority unaware they are diabetic, doctors said on Monday when World diabetes day was observed.
This year’s theme was to educate and inform people about diabetes so that if people know about diabetes, they can test and can manage it in order to avoid long term complications.
Dr Shahnawaz Ahmad Mir, an endocrinologist said, that half the people are unaware they suffer from diabetes and suggested that people with lifestyle diseases or family history of diabetes should undergo diabetic test.
“If you are above 35-year-old with obesity, hypertension, family history of diabetes, POCD, diabetes in pregnancy, one must at least once go for sugar test once in a year,” he said.
Terming diabetes a lifestyle disease, Dr Mir suggested people to take a daily brisk walk for 45 minutes and those suffering from obesity should reduce weight to avoid diabetes.
He cited a survey conducted by community medicine saying 10 percent people in Srinagar were found diabetic.
Another endocrinologist Dr Rafaqat Jamali told KNO that diabetes is a silent killer and its prevalence is increasing and weight reduction, dietary control, exercise can play important roles to curb it.
He said that those with diabetes should take medicine and they should avoid visiting quacks. “Diabetes education is more important than treatment,” said Dr Jamali.
He said that in some children, there is some issue in pancreas due to which they are unable to produce insulin is known as Type 1 diabetes and it is a lifelong disease. Adults with Type 2 diabetes produce insulin but it is being resisted and excessive use of steroids besides self-medication are playing an important role in causing diabetes and eating style that like using more carbohydrate rich diets, Dr Jamali said.
