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Tamilnadu News

World Diabetes Day – Irregular food habits among women engaged in household chores cause for malady

Prasath Selvaraj

Image credit : Illustrative Image

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Women engaged in hectic household work and not having food at proper intervals are more prone to diabetes, says Dr Suguna Priya, Consultant Diabetologist at Dr Mohan’s Diabetes Specialties Centre, on the eve of World Diabetes Day.

Since 1991, globally diabetes day has been observed on November 14 and this year the theme is ‘Women and diabetes – our right to healthy future’

According to the International Diabetes Foundation, currently over 199 million women have diabetes and this is expected to go up to 313 million by 2040.

It says one in 10 women is diabetic and one in seven born children is affected with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Many women affected with diabetes do not have access to treatment and care owing to lack of proper awareness.

Suguna says most of the women in the country are dependent on their family and have food after serving all at home. Many are not physically active when compared to women before 20-30 years because of modern equipment for household activities.

The tendency has been that many women turn overweight after marriage and develop GDM during pregnancy as a result of obesity and polycystic ovarian disease. Antenatal care can be taken in cases of early detection, she says.

Women need some kind of physical exercise for 30 minutes daily for at least five days a week to ward off diabetes. It had to be noted that women play a major role in household nutrition and lifestyle habits in families, says Suguna.

“Earlier the symptoms were found only in people above 30 years. But now even children aged 12 years have diabetes which is mainly due to change in lifestyle and food habits and lack of physical activity,” she adds.

Junk food and sweets and beverages lead to fat accumulation. Type-1 diabetes which is most severe form which is the result of lack of physical activities among children as they are glued to their gadgets.

People should have a healthy diet and engage in physical activities and take screening tests annually, says Suguna.

Consultant Diabetoloist M Ravi Kannan says a study report of 2011 says there that 4.8 million diabetic cases in Tamil Nadu and alarming it the report that 3.9 million people are prone to diabetes.

If a mother has diabetes, the chance of her children having it is 70 per cent and in case the father is diabetic, it is 60 per cent. In case both are diabetic, the chances of their children getting afflicted would be 90 per cent.

Those above the age of 30 years should undergo regular checkup and maintain their sugar level as also their body weight.
“People often think that after medication, diabetes gets cured. It has to be noted that once a person is afflicted, control is possible only through healthy diet supplements and maintaining body weight,” he added.

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