Abu Dhabi Week talks to an expert about diabetes prevention and its treatment
The UAE has the second highest rate of diabetes in the world with more than 18 percent of the population suffering from the disease. Dr Kunt from the HealthPlus Diabetes & Endocrinology Center is an expert on the disease.
“Diabetes is the lack of insulin action in the body; not enough insulin is produced and/or it does not work properly,” Dr Kunt said. “Insulin has many tasks including maintaining normal glucose levels. If the insulin is not working properly then the person’s glucose levels will go up. Glucose itself can be very toxic for the body.
“There are four major types of diabetes. Type 1 can occur at any age but most patients get this when they are young. Type 2 is the most common form worldwide and is related to being obese. Usually Type 3 diabetes is genetic. Type 4 is gestational diabetes and it occurs during pregnancy because hormones weaken the actions of insulin. It’s estimated that it develops in five to 12 per cent of pregnancies worldwide. All pregnant women should get tested for this,” he added.
Prevention is better than cure
According to Dr Kunt it is important to maintain a healthy weight and level of fitness in order to prevent diabetes: “If your lifestyle changes suddenly and you become obese, this can lead to diabetes developing.
“The only type of diabetes that you can really prevent effectively is Type 2. Prevention involves healthy living – eating healthy food and doing a decent amount of physical
activity, approximately 150 minutes per week is recommended. You don’t have to avoid eating certain foods, you can have everything in moderation.”
Often diabetic patients have no symptoms so they are unaware that they are suffering from the disease and it goes untreated.
“Symptoms only occur in few patients and include feeling very thirsty, urinating a lot or suffering from weakness,” Dr Kunt said.
“Diabetes can develop at any age and early detection and treatment is very important because diabetes can lead to many complications affecting the cardiovascular and nervous systems.
“The complications will differ from person to person, but if left untreated diabetes can lead to a heart attack, stroke, eye disease or kidney disease for example.
“Due to the range of complications caused by diabetes, the modern way of diabetes care is a multidisciplinary approach often requiring expertise in areas such as diabetology, endocrinology, internal medicine, cardiology, angiology, paediatrics, ophthalmology and podiatry,” Dr Kunt added.
The HealthPlus Diabetes and Endocrinology Center in partnership with the Diabetes Zentrum Mergentheim in Germany, offers the aforementioned specialty areas with a Diabetes Education Academy.
Sweet talk the kids
The Imperial College London Diabetes Centre in Abu Dhabi says there is a link between childhood obesity and diabetes and has the following advice for parents:
The most important thing to do is to encourage your children to lead a very active lifestyle with regular exercise. This can be anything from playing a sport regularly to a simple daily 30-minute brisk walk, or even doing a household chore.
It’s up to parents to ensure that their children have a healthy diet which includes low fat and nutrient-rich foods like fruits and vegetables, and they should limit sugary foods and drinks like sweets, chocolate and fizzy drinks.
If you’re worried that your child may be overweight and at risk of developing Type 2 diabetes you should see your doctor or dietician and they will be able to advise you how to best manage your child’s weight and general health.
For more information visit: www.icldc.ae
