In
a warning to Nigerians on the sidelines of this year's World Diabetes
Day, a Consultant Physician and Endocrinologist, has cautioned of the
high risk of skipping breakfast regularly.
File photo used for illustrative purposes
Dr. Adewole Adesanya, Consultant Physician and Endocrinologist,
Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Lokoja, has warned that skipping breakfast
regularly pose high risk of diabetes.
Adesanya gave the warning on Monday in Lokoja on the sidelines of this year’s World Diabetes Day (WDD).
Diabetes is often referred to by doctors as diabetes mellitus.
It describes a group of metabolic diseases in which a person has
high blood glucose (blood sugar), either because insulin production is
inadequate, or because the body’s cells do not respond properly to
insulin, or both.
He said that people who formed the habit of willingly skipping
their breakfast in the morning were exposing themselves to the risk of
diabetes.
He advised that people should eat more of high fibre food such as
yam, bread with a lot of vegetables rather than food with high
concentration of sugar.
“People should eat healthily with more intakes of fruits such
as cucumber, tomatoes, carrots and garden egg and small portion of
apple, pawpaw, banana and watermelon, especially diabetic patients.
“Diabetic patients must take good care of themselves, adhere
strictly to instructions of their physicians, dieticians and check their
blood sugar level regularly.
“We must make sure we do everything possible to reduce and
maintain a normal weight, regular exercises, and eat a balanced diet to
prevent diabetes,’’ the expert said.
He noted that diabetes does not have a known cure for now except
the so called pancreatic transplant of the lacking insulin, but could be
effectively managed.
“There are four types of diabetes.
“Type 1 is common in younger age below 30, type 2 is most
prevalent diabetes for all ages, and gestational diabetes which mainly
affects pregnant women.
“The classical symptoms of diabetes as excessive water intake
and urination, excessive eating and losing weight, weak erection,
recurrent boils and infections, miscarriages and still birth, among
others,’’ Adesanya said.
He appealed to government at all levels to sensitise the public
through their awareness programmes on the importance of screening to
ensure early diagnosis of type 2 diabetes.
“The Federal Government should subsidised insulin and metforme
in order to assist the patients in their treatment due to its high cost.
“The general public must be adequately sensitised on its early
signs, detection, possible preventions and treatment to reduce the risk
of serious complications.
“For every two people that have diabetes there is one person
that is not known; that is, 1 in 2 people currently living with diabetes
is undiagnosed.
“We are all stakeholders on public awareness of diabetes; let
us inform our friends, families, co-workers and neighbours to help
achieve massive individual screenings by participating in our
Test2Prevent initiative.’’
NAN reports that this year’s World Diabetes Day, themed “Eyes on Diabetes”, is marked annually on Nov. 14, to raise awareness on the disease.
The theme focuses on the importance of screening to ensure early
diagnosis of type 2 diabetes and treatment so as to reduce the risk of
serious complications.
Source: NAN
No comments:
Post a Comment