Family support useful in controlling diabetes: Expert

Panchkula, November 14, 2018: A health talk to mark ‘World Diabetes Day’ was held at Alchemist Hospital, Panchkula today.

Addressing talk, Dr.Rajat Gupta, Senior Consultant Endocrinology, Alchemist Hospital said that under this year’s theme- Diabetes concerns every family- discover diabetes, prevent diabetes and manage diabetes are the three main focus areas.

One in every two people with diabetes is undiagnosed, so early diagnosis is must to prevent long term complications associated with diabetes, he said.

He further said that up to 80% of type 2 diabetes can be prevented by adopting a healthy lifestyle. One must remember that the family members of a patient with type 2 diabetes are at a very high risk of developing type 2 diabetes, remarked Dr Rajat.

Family support in controlling diabetes can be very useful said Dr. Rajat adding congenial environment at home and healthy relationship with members of the family can help a lot in keeping diabetes in control.

In fact family plays an important role in keeping a diabetic patient fit and hearty, he asserted.

To manage diabetes, one requires daily treatment, regular monitoring, a healthy lifestyle and ongoing education. Education and ongoing support should be accessible to all patients and their families. Less than 1 in 2 people with diabetes and 1 in 4 family members of people with diabetes should have access to diabetes education programs, maintained Dr Rajat.

Talking about the importance of regular and balanced diet to beat diabetes, Dr Rajat said that skipping meals is associated with weight gain and one of the main risk factors for Type-2 diabetes. The best way to lose weight is combination of balanced diet and exercise. Studies have shown that people who eat breakfast every morning were more likely to maintain a healthy weight, added Dr Rajat.