THE RISING DIABETES SCOURGE!
By Dare Gazal, Abuja
The World Health Organization has released its first ever global report on diabetes.
The results are frightening.
The world has seen a nearly four-fold increase in diabetes cases over the last quarter-century, driven by excessive weight, obesity, aging and population growth, the World Health Organization said on Wednesday. 422 million people were affected in 2014.
WHO said 8.5% of the world population had diabetes two years ago, up from 4.7%, or 108 million, in 1980.
“We need to rethink our daily lives — to eat healthily, be physically active and avoid excessive weight gain,” WHO director-general Dr Margaret Chan said on Wednesday. The Geneva-based agency blamed growing consumption of food and beverages high in sugar for the increase in diabetes.
Lowering the risk of diabetes:
- Stay active and walk 10,000 steps every day.
- Avoid eating processed food.
- Cut back on sugar simple carbs such as refined flour.
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Lose belly fat
- Get six to seven hours of sleep daily.
- Get blood sugar levels tested at the age of 30 if your immediate family (mother, father, brother or sister) have diabetes.
What are the complications:
Uncontrolled blood sugar levels can cause eye damage, stroke, cerebral circulation damage, gum disease, heart, kidney disease, peripheral nerve damage, blood circulation problems in the legs, foot ulcers and amputations