World Diabetes Day 2024 : Diabetes and well-being

Dr Kshetrimayum Kala Singh *

1 in 10 adults Worldwide have diabetes
“In India one in five adults is diabetic”
India means “Diabetes Capital of the World”
“Every 10 Seconds. One person in the world dies of Diabetes Complications”

World Diabetes Day was created in 1991 by the International Diabetes Federation and WHO in response to growing concerns about its escalating health threat posed by diabetes. And World Diabetes Day became an official United Nations Day in 2006, with the passage of United Nations Resolution 61/225. It is marked every year on 14th November, the birthday of Sir Frederick Banting, who co-discovered insulin along with Charles Best in 1922.

World Diabetes Day is celebrated worldwide by the over 230 members association of the International Diabetes Federation in more than 160 countries and territories, all Member States of the United Nations as well as by other associations and organisations, companies, health care professionals and people living with diabetes and their families.

The theme for this year is “Diabetes & Well Being”. This theme indicates all Diabetes Patients require to maintain both their physical and mental well-being. So, awareness, understanding and co-operation with family members are requested for the Diabetes patients.

Mentally should not be disappointed for the diseases, because early treatment, with a good diet and physical exercise will control the blood sugar level. If so the impending complications from this disease will be absent.

Also after counselling from the Diabetic Care Centre, patients will get mental satisfaction and psychological happiness. So, this theme will be completed for every Diabetic patient to bring a well being life in future in spite of having the disease. Also they should remember the importance of early diagnosis and effective treatment.

Globally, an estimated 500 million people are currently living with diabetes. It is a major cause of blindness, kidney failure, heart attack, stroke and lower limb amputation. So a diabetic care unit or center will give remarkable counselling to a diabetic patient to avoid these grave complications. Also advice and moral support to be given to patients for healthy diet, physical activity, maintaining normal body weight and avoiding tobacco.

It is mandatory to register all the patients with necessary mobile phones, Whatsapp & e-mail for future correspondence.

All the family members should educate or learn about this disease at the earliest. UNFORTUNATELY ONCE IT HAS DEVELOPED DIABETES DOES NOT GO AWAY AND THE THREAT OF SERIOUS HEALTH PROBLEMS NEVER GOES AWAY. For this reason, a person who has diabetes may need the help and support of their family

What is Diabetes

There are three main types of Diabetes

Type -1 Diabetes

o Usually diagnosed in children (juvenile diabetes) and young adults.
o The body does not produce insulin
o There is a destruction of insulin secreting cells (â-cells) of pancreas in our body.
o The cause is immune-mediated or idiopathic.
o Usually requires external insulin therapy, hence known as Insulin Dependant Diabetes Mellitus (IDDM)
o 5-10% of diabetic have Type-1 Diabetes.

Type-2 Diabetes

Affects 90-95% of diabetic patients. Also known as Non-Insulin-Dependant Diabetes Mellitus (NIDDM). Body does not produce enough insulin (Insulin Deficiency) or the body cells do not respond to insulin (Insulin Resistance) or both, asymptomatic for many years. Various risk factors include family history, age above 40 years, sedentary lifestyle, diet, excess body weight and history of gestational diabetes.

Gestational diabetes display high blood sugar level during pregnancy, usually occur at around 28 week or later affect about 4% of all pregnant women, usually goes away after pregnancy, raises mother’s risk of getting Type-2 diabetes for the rest of her life. Also raises the child’s risk of being overweight and getting diabetes, causes are unknown.

Sign & symptoms of Diabetes

Frequent urination, unexplained weight loss, excess thirst, lack of energy, blurry vision, extreme hunger, slow wound healing, frequent infection, very dry skin, tingling & numbness in hands & feet.

Risk factors for Diabetes

Family history, age over 40 years, sedentary lifestyle, overweight, history of gestational diabetes.

Complications of Diabetes

It is a sweet killer and becomes foundation of many other illness like Diabetic Retinopathy causing blindness, diabetic nephropathy leading to failure of kidney, nerve damage and neuropathy with erectile dysfunction, Heart attack account for at least 70% of all death in people with diabetes, stroke resulting from clogging of the arteries providing nutrition to the brain, lower limb infection causing gangrene & amputation.

The World Diabetes Day Campaign aims

To promote International Diabetic federation advocacy efforts through the year to promote the importance of taking diabetes as a critical global health issue. The campaign is represented by a blue circle logo that was adopted in 2007 after the passage of the UN resolution on diabetes. The blue circle is the global symbol for diabetes awareness.

It signifies the unity of the global diabetes community in response to the diabetic epidemic. Activities organized each year include, Radio and Television Programmes, free screening for diabetes and its complications, Poster and leaflet campaigns, diabetic workshop and exhibitions, press conferences, newspaper and magazines articles, walks and runs etc.

Management of Diabetes

30 minutes of physical activity 5 days a week. Maintain healthy weight, Eat less fat and salt, stop smoking, eat more fibre containing food, reduce alcohol consumption, eat at least 3 different times throughout the day. Diet and lifestyle are considered to be the cornerstone of treatment of diabetes.

IDF recommendations for a healthy diet for the general population

o Choosing water, coffee or tea instead of fruit juice, soda, or other sugar sweetened beverages
o Eating at least servings of vegetable every day, including green leafy vegetables
o Eating up to three servings of fresh fruit every day
o Choosing nuts, a piece of fresh fruit, or unsweetened yoghurt for a snack
o Limiting alcohol intake to a maximum of two standard drinks per day
o Choosing lean cuts of white meat, poultry or seafood instead of red or processed meat
o Choosing peanut butter instead of chocolate spread or jam
o Choosing whole-grain bread, rice or pasta instead of white bread, rice, or pasta
o Choosing unsaturated fats (olive oil, canola oil, corn oil, or sunflower oil) instead of saturated fats (butter, ghee, animal fat, coconut oil or palm oil)

Diabetes is a sweet killer. So it is to be prevented at the earliest time. The more we delay the more damage to the vital organs. Prevention may be Primary, Secondary & Tertiary.

Primary Prevention

Maintenance of normal body weight, physical exercise and good nutrition include and adequate protein, intake, a high intake of dietary fibre and avoidance of sweet foods. Alcohol should be avoided. Also avoid oral contraceptives.

Secondary Prevention

(a) To maintain blood glucose level by treatment.
(b) To maintain ideal body weight.
(c) Testing glucose levels every three years after the age of 45.

Tertiary Prevention

(a) To organise specialized clinics (Diabetic clinics).
(b) To establish basic Clinical Research.
(c) To establish epidemiological Research.
(d) To establish national registries for diabetes.

LIFE DOES NOT END WITH DIABETES AND THERE IS STILL HOPE