Focus on diabetes and women

WITH World Diabetes Day around the corner, women and girls are the focus this year as almost 200 million women live with diabetes worldwide.

In South Africa, the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) estimates over 2.3 million people have diabetes but around 61% of them are undiagnosed. In addition, the prevalence of diabetes in rural dwellers is increasing rapidly, with Asian and coloured populations having the highest prevalence of diabetes in South Africa.

Dr Nicola Lister, medical director and chief scientific officer at Novartis South Africa said there were modifiable risk factors driving the diabetes epidemic.

“Up to 70% of cases of type 2 diabetes could be prevented through lifestyle interventions like good nutrition and exercise.”

She said women and girls were the focus of this year’s World Diabetes Day because, across much of the world, gender and power dynamics influenced vulnerability to diabetes.

“Novartis supports the World Diabetes Day 2017 campaign to raise awareness around the prevention and management of diabetes. We urge South Africans to empower themselves with knowledge on diabetes and to make lifestyle changes to improve their health.”

Dr Albert Niemann, a physician with a special interest in obesity, explained insulin resistance preceded development of pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes.

“Managing insulin resistance should involve limiting carbohydrates, avoiding sweetened beverages, eating more fibre, limiting portions, including enough protein, including fat free dairy products and reducing a person’s visceral or central body fat.”

Niemann said research showed 85% of people who lost weight would regain it all within the first year. Maintenance was key to keeping the weight off.