3.9 Million Nigerians Are Suffering From Diabetes - IDF

 

Dr Isiavwe

As the world marked the World Diabetes Day last Saturday, a major issue that was thrown up was the shocking revelation that Nigeria topped the chart in Africa with about 3.9million people suffering from the disease.  The Interna­tional Diabetes Federation (IDF) states that no fewer than 387 million people are currently living with diabetes world­wide, Nigeria has been listed as the coun­try with the highest number of people living with the disease in Africa.

The current IDF atlas which provides details of the disease around the world has revealed that as at 2014, there are 3.9 millions Nigerians living with the dis­ease. Not only that, the Federation also estimates that over 11 million Nigerians are currently undiagnosed.

Diabetes is a serious complex condi­tion which can affect the entire body. It occurs when the amount of glucose in an individual’s blood is too high because the body cannot use it properly.

This happens when the pancreas doesn’t produce any or not enough insu­lin, to help glucose enter the body’s cells. It could also be that the insulin that is produced does not work properly, often referred to as insulin resistance.

Medical experts describe insulin as the hormone produced by the pancreas which allows glucose to enter the body’s cells, where it is used as fuel for energy so that the individual can work, play and be active. It is vital for life. Glucose on the other hand, comes from digesting carbo­hydrate and is also produced by the liver.

Diabetes develops when glucose can’t enter the body’s cells to be used as fuel. This happens when either there is no insulin to unlock the cells (described as Type 1 diabetes ) or there is not enough insulin or the insulin is there but not working properly (described as Type 2 diabetes). Thus the glucose stays in the blood and cannot be used as fuel for energy.

The individual thus begins to feel very thirsty, passing more urine than usual and feeling tired all the time.

There’s also unexplained weight loss, itching around the penis or vagina, or frequent episodes of thrush cuts or wounds that heal slow­ly and blurred vision (caused by the lens of the eye becoming dry).

Unfortunately, many people with dia­betes may not even be aware that they have the disease until complications set in. According to IDF, one in two people with diabetes do not know they have the condition. And the number of people with type 2 diabetes is increasing in ev­ery country. Indeed, the Federation esti­mates that the number of people living with the disease will rise to 592 million by 2035.

Sadly, diabetes is more rampant among people in the productive age. In Africa, IDF says 76% of deaths due to diabetes are in people under the age of 60. This is why the Federation has chosen the theme: Halt the diabetes epidemic for the 2015 World diabetes Day.

This is also being echoed in Nigeria by a leading private endocrinology hospital in Lagos, Rainbow Specialist Hosiptal, Lekki which kicked off its World Diabe­tes Day campaign last week. A statement by Dr. Afoke Isiavwe, the hospital’s Med­ical Director said the hospital is offer­free screening to the general public throughout the month of November. The hospital disclosed that the goal of the screening is to help Nigerians who may have the disease but are not aware they have it to detect it early to prevent com­plications and death.

“The IDF atlas reveals that one person dies from diabetes every 6 seconds around the world. Also, in view of the revelation by the Federation that 11 million Nigeri­ans are currently undiagnosed, we think something must be done urgently to ad­dress the ugly situation. This is why we have decided to provide the opportunity for every Nigerian to come forward for the free screening to help reduce unnec­essary death from diabetes, in the coun­try,” the hospital further said.

The statement also announced that the hospital will, on November 14, the World Diabetes Day, hold a free diabetes boot camp, focusing on foot care and nu­trition in diabetes, at Peninsula Hotel Lekki Epe Express Way between 10am and 12 noon.

Experts have also called for the need for specific measures by individuals to prevent diabetes. For instance, making a few lifestyle changes, according to them, could dramatically lower the chances of developing type 2 diabetes. Excess weight in particular. has been identified as the single most important cause of type 2 diabetes as research has shown that be­ing overweight increases the chances of developing type 2 diabetes seven fold. Be­ing obese also makes an individual 20 to 40 times more likely to develop diabetes than someone with a healthy weight.

There is also convincing evidence that diet modification could also help. For instance, studies have shown that whole grains protect against diabetes, whereas diets rich in refined carbohydrates lead to increased risk.

Experts say diets made up of white bread, white rice, mashed po­tatoes, donuts, bagels, and many break­fast cereals should be avoided because they contain a high “glycemic index and glycemic load.” That means they cause sustained increase in blood sugar and insulin levels, which in turn may lead to increased diabetes risk.

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Kidney Cancer: The Fried, Barbecued Red Meat Connection

Lovers of barbecued meat (otherwise known as suya in most African countries) are in for a tough time as pan-fried, grilled or barbecued meat, cooked at high temperatures or over an open flame, may increase the risk of kidney cancer, a new study has claimed.

The study indicates that a meat-rich diet may increase the risk of developing kidney cancer through mechanisms related to particular cooking compounds. These associations may be modified by genetic susceptibility to kidney cancer. The study illustrates how diet and genetics may interact to impact cancer risk. The incidence of renal cell carcinoma (RCC), the most common form of kidney cancer in adults, has been increasing in the US and other developed nations, researchers said. Researchers suspected that factors related to a western lifestyle – such as a diet high in meats, processed foods, and starches – may play an important role in this trend.

To investigate, a team led by Xifeng Wu, of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Centre in Houston, studied the dietary intake and genetic risk factors of 659 patients newly diagnosed with RCC and 699 healthy controls. Researchers found that kidney cancer patients consumed more red and white meat compared with cancer-free individuals. Also, cancer patients consumed more cancer-causing chemicals that are produced when meat is cooked at high temperatures or over an open flame (particularly pan-frying or barbecuing). Finally, the investigators discovered that individuals with certain genetic variants were more susceptible to the harmful effects of these cancer-causing chemicals.

While the study was small and limited to non-Hispanic whites, the findings suggest that reducing consumption of meat, especially when cooked at high temperatures or over an open flame, might serve as a public health intervention to reduce the risk of developing RCC. In addition, genetic testing might help to identify individuals at especially high risk.

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Belly Fat Can Lead To Premature Death

Those who have big bellies (which in most African societies, is seen as an evidence of good living) we have to do a rethink of their eating habits after reading this story.  A new research has confirmed that excess weight around the belly increases the risk of premature death even for people that are considered normal weight.

The research was published two days ago in the Annals of Internal Medicine. Belly fat, also known as visceral fat, which builds up in the spaces between and around the viscera — internal organs like your stomach and intestines is considered to be the most harmful form of fat in the body, medical experts said.

“Belly fat is bad fat,” said Dr. Paul Poirier, from the Institute of Cardiology at Laval University in Quebec, Canada, and the author of an accompanying editorial in the same issue of the journal.

Similarly, Eric Jacobs, PhD, a researcher at the American Cancer Society, said in recent years, scientists have uncovered links between belly fat and cancers of the colon, esophagus, and pancreas. Furthermore, an endocrinology specialist at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, Michael D. Jensen, M.D, said regardless of your overall weight, having a large amount of belly fat increases your risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2
diabetes, colorectal cancer, and sleep apnea.

The resent edition of Harvard Women’s Health Watch examines the connection between abdominal fat and heart health and found extra body fat increases the risk for conditions that contribute to heart disease, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes. “The fat around the belly is particularly metabolically active, meaning that it produces a number of factors that increase the risks for heart disease,” explained Dr. Paula Johnson, associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School.

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Eating Homemade Meals May Lower Risk Of Type 2 Diabetes

Eating homemade meals around twice a day may reduce the risk for type 2 diabetes, researchers have found. Study coauthor Dr. Geng Zong, a research fellow at the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston, MA, and colleagues suggest eating more meals prepared at home may reduce weight gain over time, which they say could explain their findings; excess weight is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes.

The negative health implications of regularly dining out in restaurants – particularly fast food restaurants – have been well documented.

Earlier this year, for example, Medical News Today reported on a study that found eating out leads to significantly higher calorie and salt intake, which may lead to weight gain and high blood pressure – risk factors for diabetes and heart disease.

For their study, Zong and colleagues set out to investigate whether increasing consumption of homemade meals may protect against type 2 diabetes.

The team assessed the homemade meal intake and the type 2 diabetes development of almost 58,000 women who were part of the Nurses, Health Study and more than 41,000 men who were part of the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study.

All participants were free of diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular disease at baseline and were followed for up to 36 years between 1986-2012.

Diabetes entails a number of serious complications, including heart disease. Individuals with obesity are more likely to develop insulin resistance and subsequently, diabetes.

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Why Consuming Soft Drinks Can Lead To Heart Failure - New Research

Soft drinks and other sugar-sweetened beverages can seriously damage heart health, a new research has found. The added sugar in sodas, fruit drinks, sweet teas and energy drinks affects the body in ways that increase risk of heart attack, heart disease and stroke, said research author Vasanti Malik, a nutrition research scientist at Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston in the United States (U.S).

Consuming one or two servings a day of sugarsweetened beverages has been linked to a 35 per cent greater risk of heart attack or fatal heart disease, a 16 per cent increased risk of stroke and as much as a 26 per cent increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, the report concluded.

In recent time, Nigerians, especially the youths who are largely known to crave for soft drinks and consume them excessively are concerned about the risk they pose to health. Among these groups are some Nigerians who consume two to three bottles of average 35 CL or 50 CL soft drinks daily. For now, the researchers urge consumers to reduce the amount of added sugar in their diet. Limiting or eliminating sugar-sweetened beverages is a solid first step, Malik said, noting many foods also contain added sugar.

Although, the dangers of excess sugar to health especially heart health has been well publicised, while some doubt, others who believe lack the will power to either reduce the consumption or stop consuming them altogether. With this new review however, experts are echoing information that was in the public domain even before the release of the review.

Commenting further on the new development, Malik said, “Reducing the consumption of these drinks, it’s not going to solve the heart disease epidemic, but it’s one step that can have a measurable impact; “It’s not the only thing that needs to be done, but it’s a very important thing.” The report, published September 28 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, is part of a new focus on excess sugar as a risk for heart disease, said Marina Chaparro, a clinical dietitian at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital in Hollywood, Fla.

“Previously, everything focused on low fat, and reducing fat and cholesterol,” said Chaparro, a spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “The dietary guidelines that are about to come out really focus on added sugars, and not as much on cholesterol and total fat. Those are important, but the impact of sugar has become much more profound.” One can of regular soda contains about 35 grams of sugar, which is equal to nearly nine teaspoons. Manufacturers most often use either table sugar or high-fructose corn syrup to sweeten beverages, researchers said.

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Cooking With Vegetable Oils Can Cause Cancer - Experts

Cooking with vegetable oils releases toxic chemicals linked to cancer and other diseases, according to leading scientists, who are now recommending food be fried in olive oil, coconut oil, butter or even lard.

The results of a series of experiments threaten to turn on its head official advice that oils rich in polyunsaturated fats – such as corn oil and sunflower oil – are better for the health than the saturated fats in animal products.

Scientists found that heating up vegetable oils led to the release of high concentrations of chemicals called aldehydes, which have been linked to illnesses including cancer, heart disease and dementia.

Martin Grootveld, a professor of bioanalytical chemistry and chemical pathology, said that his research showed “a typical meal of fish and chips”, fried in vegetable oil, contained as much as 100 to 200 times more toxic aldehydes than the safe daily limit set by the World Health Organisation.

 

“The human brain is changing in a way that is as serious as climate change threatens to be"

Professor John Stein, Oxford University’s emeritus professor of neurosciencesaid.

In contrast, heating up butter, olive oil and lard in tests produced much lower levels of aldehydes. Coconut oil produced the lowest levels of the harmful chemicals.

Concerns over toxic chemicals in heated oils are backed up by separate research from a University of Oxford professor, who claims that the fatty acids in vegetable oils are contributing to other health problems.

Professor John Stein, Oxford’s emeritus professor of neuroscience, said that partly as a result of corn and sunflower oils, “the human brain is changing in a way that is as serious as climate change threatens to be”.


Because vegetable oils are rich in omega 6 acids, they are contributing to a reduction in critical omega 3 fatty acids in the brain by replacing them, he believes.

“If you eat too much corn oil or sunflower oil, the brain is absorbing too much omega 6, and that effectively forces out omega 3,” said Prof Stein. “I believe the lack of omega 3 is a powerful contributory factor to such problems as increasing mental health issues and other problems such as dyslexia.”


He said sunflower oil and corn oil were now banished from his own kitchen, replaced by olive oil and butter.
NHS advice is to replace “foods high in saturated fat with lower-fat versions” and warns against frying food in butter or lard, recommending instead corn oil, sunflower oil and rapeseed oil. Saturated fats raise cholesterol levels, increasing the risk of heart disease.

But Prof Grootveld, of De Mont fort University in Leicester, who carried out a series of experiments, said: “For decades, the authorities have been warning us how bad butter and lard was. But we have found butter is very, very good for frying purposes and so is lard. People have been telling us how healthy polyunsaturates are in corn oil and sunflower oil. But when you start messing around with them, subjecting them to high amounts of energy in the frying pan or the oven, they undergo a complex series of chemical reactions which results in the accumulation of large amounts of toxic compounds.”

The findings are contained in research papers. Prof Grootveld’s team measured levels of “aldehydic lipid oxidation products” (LOPs), produced when oils were heated to varying temperatures. The tests suggested coconut oil produces the lowest levels of aldehydes, and three times more aldehydes were produced when heating corn oil and sunflower oil than butter.

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