KARACHI, Nov 11: “Diabetes screening is essential for prevention,” said Dr Jaweed Akhter, the section of head of endocrinology department of the Aga Khan University (AKU), while speaking at a seminar held on Sunday to mark World Diabetes Day.

For this year, the global theme is ‘Diabetes Prevention and Education’ aimed at educating, engaging and empowering the youth.

Dr Akhter spoke on the escalating rate of diabetes across the world. He said that screening was important since a majority of the population was unaware that they had the disease and only went to a doctor when their condition got complicated and the damage to their health was irreversible.

Dr Akhter said that adopting a healthy diet, regular exercise and maintaining normal body weight could prevent type-2 diabetes, the most common form of the disease. He stressed on making efforts to educate people in identifying the disease early enough.

Researchers from the medicine department of AKU surveyed the glucose levels of around 1,200 people in Kharadar, Garden, Dehli Mercantile Society and Abid Town in the city, in collaboration with the University of Helsinki, Finland. According to their findings, 13.4 per cent of the people were suffering from diabetes and an additional 32 per cent were at risk.

The principle investigators, Dr Asma Ahmed and Dr Akhter suggested engaging the public and policy makers to take a serious view of the situation since the disease affects all classes of the society.

The results were revealed as part of an on-going three year study which will include screening of over 4,000 adults and then determine if lifestyle intervention through diet and exercise could prevent diabetes people who are risk.—PPI