Tweak your lifestyle to prevent diabetes
Lifestyle changes are necessary for diabetes prevention, advises the experts behind Nutrition Month Malaysia.
This year’s Nutrition Month Malaysia (NMM) fair was launched by Deputy Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Hilmi bin Haji Yahaya at the Paradigm Mall, Kelana Jaya, Selangor.
Back for the 14th consecutive year, the theme for this year’s programme is “Eat Right, Move More: Prevent Diabetes from Young”, in recognition of the rising incidence of type 2 diabetes amongst Malaysians.
At the launch, Datuk Seri Dr Hilmi said: “In 2011, the National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) revealed that about 2.6 million Malaysians suffer from diabetes. The prevalence in the 2006 NHMS was 11.6%, which had increased to 15.2% in the 2011 – this figure represents an increase of more than half a million Malaysians.
“In the past, diabetes was only common amongst those above 50 years of age. However, there is a worrying trend that was revealed in the latest NHMS statistics – there are diabetics even amongst those in their 20s.”
He added: “Diabetes is a preventable chronic disease, and all it takes is to make better lifestyle choices, which is why it saddens me to see so many Malaysians leading a less than healthy lifestyle.
“Day by day, we have become less active and often indulge in unhealthy foods. These are the main culprits for the increase in the incidence of obesity among Malaysians, which in turn is a major risk factor in the development of type 2 diabetes.
“For those already diabetic, it becomes even more apparent that they should lead a healthy lifestyle as this can help them manage the disease better, to delay or even prevent complications from developing.”
At the event, Prof Emeritus Dr Mohd Ismail Noor, vice president of Nutrition Society of Malaysia, pointed out that the severity of type 2 diabetes should not be underestimated as it is partly responsible for the increase in premature and preventable deaths in Malaysia.
“Effects of uncontrolled diabetes can be quite gruesome. It can lead to loss of limbs, heart disease, nerve damage, kidney damage, and eye complications such as blindness. It’s not only a burden to the individual, it also weighs heavily on the family, society, and the whole nation in general,” he noted.
Category: Features, Health alert
