We need to rethink our lives: Eat healthy, be physically active, and avoid excessive weight gain
THE number of people living with diabetes has almost quadrupled since 1980, about 422 million adults with most living in developing countries.Factors driving this dramatic rise include being overweight or obese.
Health-promoting environments reduce risk factors
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), governments must take the lead to expand health-promoting environments within the nation to reduce diabetes risk factors.It should promote regular physical activity, rejecting unhealthy diets, and strengthening national capacities to help people with diabetes receive the treatment and care they need to manage the condition.According to former WHO Director-General Dr Margaret Chan: “If we are to make any headway in halting the rise in diabetes, we need to rethink our daily lives: to eat healthily, be physically active, and avoid excessive weight gain.Even in the poorest settings, governments must ensure that people are able to make these healthy choices and that health
systems are able to diagnose and treat people with diabetes.”
WHO report on diabetes
In its first ‘Global Report on Diabetes’, WHO highlights the need to step up prevention and treatment of the disease.Among the key findings of the report are:
Many of the diabetes deaths (43 per cent) occur prematurely, before the age of 70, and are largely preventable through adoption of policies to create supportive environments for healthy lifestyles and better detection and treatment of the disease.
Good management includes use of small set of generic medicines; interventions to promote healthy lifestyles; patient education to facilitate self-care; and regular screening for early detection and treatment of complications.
The findings clearly tell us that many cases of diabetes can be prevented, and measures exist to detect and manage the condition, improving the odds that people with diabetes live long and healthy lives.
As a community and individuals, we need to do more to combat diabetes, but where do we start?
Community-driven effort
Firstly, we need to create an environment that supports healthy lifestyle that makes a positive impact on the well-being of the community, as in to promote fun physical activities.
Secondly, it is our joint responsibility and moral obligation to promote environments that ensure healthy choices are available wherever we spend our time. And thirdly, we need to develop a set of conscience that provide as well as seek out healthy food and drinks.
Let’s place good health at the centre of our everyday lives by helping create health-promoting environments in places such as schools, workplaces, healthcare centres, food outlets, parks, and in our own homes.
We are changing us
Making healthy choices is not just about having good self-discipline. It is about having someone to support you whenever you lose strength in becoming healthier.And although self-motivation does play a big part in our road towards better health, to have that extra external support means the world. The most supportive of environment makes healthy choices that much easier.— The Health
