‘ Lifestyle Changes Can Prevent Diabetes’

TO mark the World Diabetes Day, Evercare Hospital, Lekki, Lagos, organised a forum to shed more light on diabetes, its symptoms, and preventions, and to offer free diabetes screening to residents, as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility ( CSR).

Speaking at the event, a Consultant Physician and Endocrinologist, at the hospital, Dr. Chinyere Udo, said: “Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disorder that occurs when the body, either cannot produce sufficient insulin, or is unable to effectively use the insulin it produces. Insulin is a hormone produced in the pancreas, which allows the body’s cells to utilise or store glucose produced from digestion of food.

“Deficiency of this hormone, results in persistently elevated blood glucose levels, the hallmark of diabetes. Diabetes, especially when poorly controlled, is associated with severe complications leading to limitation in quality of life or death.

“Diabetes complications include increased susceptibility to infections, heart disease, stroke, blindness, kidney failure and lower limb amputations. While diabetes may affect anyone, certain persons, especially obese persons, individuals with sedentary lifestyle, those with a family history of diabetes and women with a history of giving birth to large babies, have a higher risk.”

She said lifestyle changes could prevent diabetes.

She further established that there are different forms of diabetes, which are Type 1 Diabetes and thus is the more frequent type in childhood, although it can occur at any age. Type 1 Diabetes is not preventable and people who have it need insulin to survive.