UAE bringing in well-known
endos to update their medical professionals.
Diabetes is becoming the "Disease of the Century" in the UAE, according to a
visiting international expert.
As a result, The Ministry of Health is carrying out an
educational program targeting local medical staff to raise awareness about
prevention and management of diabetes.
The Visiting Doctors Program of the ministry is
bringing to the UAE well-known endocrinologists to contribute in updating
medical practitioners, nurses and dietitians. The number of diabetic patients in
the UAE is becoming alarmingly high.
Latest studies carried out by the specialists of Al
Mafraq Hospital and sponsored by the WHO, revealed that 26 per cent of UAE
nationals suffer from diabetes. The study also states that 40 per cent of those
aged 60 and above suffer from the disease.
"By the age of 50 a significant percentage of UAE
nationals suffer from diabetes or show warning signs called 'impaired glucose
tolerance' - an inability to handle a sugar load appropriately," said one of the
experts visiting the country at the invitation of the ministry.
Professor Charles Faiman, past chairman of the
Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism at the Cleveland Clinic
Foundation, said that if warning signs are ignored, diabetes can lead to
blindness, kidney dialysis, leg amputation, heart attack and stroke.
Professor Faiman said diabetes is becoming the disease
of the century in the UAE and is more common among adolescents, due to unhealthy
nutritional habits and lack of exercise.
"A sedentary lifestyle and incorrect nutrition lead to
overweight or obesity, which are among the main risk factors."
A higher quantity of food and a westernization of the
diet have strongly contributed to the escalation of the disease. The fast-food
type with more fried and fatty dishes and an increasing use of sweets containing
lots of carbohydrates, has led to a worsening of the local diet. The higher
consumption associated with the bad quality of food leads to obesity and
diabetes.
Professor Faiman said treatment requires a considerable
number of medications, which are safe long term. But the real solution is in
prevention of the disease through educational programs and awareness campaigns.
"The cornerstone in the management of diabetes is
public education. The adoption of correct nutritional habits and lifestyle is
fundamental to fight the disease. Medicine can help control the sugar levels,
but every kind of therapy would be incomplete without the patient complying with
the basic rules of a healthier life style".
He said diet, exercise and appropriate medication, can
contribute to prevent diabetes.
Source: Diabetes In Control Dot Com.
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