Diabetes affects more than half of the Saudi population and rates are expected to rise significantly over the next 20 years, a leading specialist has said on the occasion of World Diabetes Day. World Diabetes Day is celebrated every year on November 14. The date was chosen because it marks the birthday of Canadian Sir Frederick G. Banting, who, along with Charles Best, is credited with the discovery of insulin in 1921. Dr. Saud Al-Sifri, a consultant of Endocrinology and Diabetes and head of the Medicine Department at the Armed Forces Hospital in Taif, expressed his concern at the gravity of the problem and said, “More than 195 million people worldwide have diabetes, according to the World Health Organization, and the number is expected to climb to more than 350 million people by 2025.” . Obesity has a strong correlation to diabetes, that Dr. Al-Sifri says is well-established in Saudi Arabia. “Local statistics show that 23.7 percent of people over the age of thirty are diabetics, and more than 11 percent of the population is vulnerable to affliction or in the so-called ‘pre-diabetes phase',” he said. “One study reported that cases of undiscovered diabetics might be up to 8 percent. At the same time, obesity in adults is high -- at about 35.6 percent, representing 44 percent of women and 26 percent of men. The rate of obesity in children and adolescents is also steadily on the increase.” There are simple, safe, inexpensive and scientifically proven ways to delay or prevent diabetes. “The first step in prevention is periodic examination for diabetes, especially for people known to harbor one risk factor, such as hereditary precedence. The second step is to change the lifestyle of those at risk. A change in lifestyle can help prevent the disease by as much as 58 percent,” Al-Sifri said. Suggested changes in lifestyle include eating healthy food, food that is low in fat and rich in vitamins, such as vegetables. Regular exercise is also highly advisable, such as walking for about 30 minutes four times a week. “Reducing the body weight by 5 to 7 percent has a direct impact on the reduction of diabetes rates,” Al-Sifri said. “The Saudi Ministry of Health estimates the cost of treating diabetics at more than SR50 billion,” said Al-Sifri. “Diabetes is a chronic disease associated with complications involving all parts of the body, and requires additional care and monitoring to prevent acute or chronic complications. All this makes diabetes treatment very expensive for health authorities, and the cost is increasing annually.” Dr. Al-Sifri said there was a need for health campaigns in the community to spread greater awareness about diabetes, and that patients and medical staff should also be included as a target group for campaigns. Citing the Prince Sultan national campaign for health education, as an example of an effective and meaningful campaign, he said, “We still hope to see more courses and prevention campaigns at all levels and from all parties concerned to reduce the spread of diabetes.” __
