Post by blackcrowheart on Jan 22, 2006 18:48:44 GMT -5
Other Urban Indians (diabetes)
'Little money, little sense can help prevent costly diabetes'
Chennai: Rapid urbanisation, less physical activity and increased
obesity meant there was need to identify undiagnosed diabetics in India,
which already had 33 million diabetics, a condition that poses a major
problem in developing nations.
Sharing the results of a study at a press conference here yesterday
Diabetes Research Centre, M V Hospital for Diabetes Director Dr A
Ramachandran said over 50 per cent of rural people and 30 per cent in
urban areas had undiagnosed diabetes, which, with lack of treatment, led
to long-term complications in the heart, kidney, eyes and nerves.
American and European studies had shown that reduction in obesity
prevented or delayed diabetes. How relevant these were in the Indian
context had to evaluated as there were differences in anthropometric and
biochemical features among the Indian population.
This formed the base for the Indian study, which began in July 2001. It
was designed to address issues such as whether primary prevention was
possible in Indian subjects with high risk of diabetes, could lifestyle
intervention work in young non-obese subjects, could pharmacological
agent 'metformin' be useful in these subjects and how far lifestyle
modification could prove benefecial.
The results of the study were published in last month's issue of
Diabetologia, the international journal of diabetes.
Dr Ramachandran said 11,000 people were screened, of which, 531 cases
with high risk of developing diabetes were identified and followed up
for the next three years. About 26 to 30 per cent risk reduction of
diabetes was found among people with 28.5 per cent reduction shown just
by lifestyle modification, including diet and exercise, which was better
than 26.4 per cent achieved by use of 'Metformin'. Combination of the
two gave a comparable 28.2 per cent.
Dr Ramachandran said the major conclusion of the Indian Diabetes
Prevention Programme was that the conversion rate of Impaired Glucose
Tolerance to diabetes was very high in Indians at 55 per cent in three
years and conversion to diabetes significantly reduced by 30 per cent by
the suggested methods, without weight reduction.
''Primary prevention of diabetes is possible in non-obese subjects with
prediabetes (IGT) without weight reduction, by dietary modification and
enhanced physical activity and by use of Metformin'' He said 'little
money and a little sense' could help prevent the costly disease, which
was a major cause for heart disease in the urban Indian population next
to smoking.
'Little money, little sense can help prevent costly diabetes'
Chennai: Rapid urbanisation, less physical activity and increased
obesity meant there was need to identify undiagnosed diabetics in India,
which already had 33 million diabetics, a condition that poses a major
problem in developing nations.
Sharing the results of a study at a press conference here yesterday
Diabetes Research Centre, M V Hospital for Diabetes Director Dr A
Ramachandran said over 50 per cent of rural people and 30 per cent in
urban areas had undiagnosed diabetes, which, with lack of treatment, led
to long-term complications in the heart, kidney, eyes and nerves.
American and European studies had shown that reduction in obesity
prevented or delayed diabetes. How relevant these were in the Indian
context had to evaluated as there were differences in anthropometric and
biochemical features among the Indian population.
This formed the base for the Indian study, which began in July 2001. It
was designed to address issues such as whether primary prevention was
possible in Indian subjects with high risk of diabetes, could lifestyle
intervention work in young non-obese subjects, could pharmacological
agent 'metformin' be useful in these subjects and how far lifestyle
modification could prove benefecial.
The results of the study were published in last month's issue of
Diabetologia, the international journal of diabetes.
Dr Ramachandran said 11,000 people were screened, of which, 531 cases
with high risk of developing diabetes were identified and followed up
for the next three years. About 26 to 30 per cent risk reduction of
diabetes was found among people with 28.5 per cent reduction shown just
by lifestyle modification, including diet and exercise, which was better
than 26.4 per cent achieved by use of 'Metformin'. Combination of the
two gave a comparable 28.2 per cent.
Dr Ramachandran said the major conclusion of the Indian Diabetes
Prevention Programme was that the conversion rate of Impaired Glucose
Tolerance to diabetes was very high in Indians at 55 per cent in three
years and conversion to diabetes significantly reduced by 30 per cent by
the suggested methods, without weight reduction.
''Primary prevention of diabetes is possible in non-obese subjects with
prediabetes (IGT) without weight reduction, by dietary modification and
enhanced physical activity and by use of Metformin'' He said 'little
money and a little sense' could help prevent the costly disease, which
was a major cause for heart disease in the urban Indian population next
to smoking.