KUWAIT: "People with diabetes nowadays are living longer and healthier than ever before," said Dr Richard Jackson , Director of Medical Affairs at Joslin Diabetes Center (part of Harvard Medical School in Boston) at his lecture conducted at the Dasman Diabetes Center recently. Jackson was accompanied by Associate Director-Clinical Education Program, Dr Elaine Sullivan who alternately spoke about Diabetes at a forum entitled 'Gaps and Opportunities: A new Approach to Diabetes Management.' However, the duo
admitted that diabetes is a growing epidemic that needs to be managed appropriately in order to prevent and control the spread of the deadly disease. The number could double by 2030, they stressed.

Diabetes is the single-most expensive health problem in urban areas. Based on our studies, the number could double in 2030 from 170 million to 370 million," Dr Jackson warned. Kuwait, according to Dr Jackson, has at least (10 percent of its population) suffer from the disease. He cited fast changing lifestyle and poor eating habits as teasons.

Type 2 and 3 diabetes is common in Kuwait. The good news is that people with diabetes actually live longer and healthier. That, of course, is if the disease is managed accordingly," Dr Jackson pointed out. He said that Joslin Diabetes Center for centuries has really worked hard to make some contributions and medical breakthrough for those suffering from diabetes all over the world.

But the real problem of diabetes patients is not about the lack of knowledge and medical breakthrough. However, the fact is that many do not have enough time to manage diabetes. Besides, too many choices (on how to handle it) including completing priorities and lack of self efficiency are major obstacles.

Remember that diabetes is a self-manageable disease. We don't lack knowledge. In fact, we do have loads. However, the problem is the lack of lack of system. But we do have system that we can develop to get better and we have the capability that we can develop to learn more," he said.

Dr Sullivan stressed the importance of proper food intake as well as performing exercises to manage diabetes. "We all need to make better food choices. I think the problem in Kuwait is the lack of dieticians. I was informed that you have a few dieticians in Kuwait. Dieticians are important to help make proper, better food choices," she opined. She also suggested improving physical fitness by jogging or running every day.

Our founder E P Joslin once said that a man who gives up an active outdoor life is a candidate for diabetes. We began taking up physical education in school. We can develop physical activities. Plan a walk everyday for 10 to 15 minutes, and then increase it to 20-30 minutes each day. Start from four-six times daily. Set a target. Start slow and worked it out," she pointed out.

She added that patients carry out 95 percent or more of the daily self-care diabetes responsibility. "Education is a lifelong process and it's important to help patients be informed on the decisions and solve their day to day problems as health care providers cannot make patients do something he/she is not willing to do.

Wikipedia defines diabetes as a condition in which a person has high blood sugar because either the body does not produce enough insulin or because cells don't respond to the insulin that is produced by the body. There are three main types of diabetes: Type 1 diabetes: Results from the body's failure to produce insulin and presently requires the patient to inject insulin.

Type 2 diabetes is a condition in which cells fail to use insulin properly, sometimes combined with an absolute insulin deficiency. Gestational diabetes is when pregnant women, who have never had diabetes before, have a high blood glucose level during pregnancy. It may precede the development of Type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Other forms of diabetes mellitus include congenital diabetes which occurs due to genetic defects of insulin secretion, cystic fibrosis-related diabetes, steroid diabetes induced by high doses of glucocorticoids and several forms of monogenic diabetes. All forms of diabetes have been treatable since insulin was made available in 1921. - Kuwait Times