THE upsurge of diabetes cases in the country is as a result of abandonment of traditional foods that were readily available in the past, an official has said.
Diabetes mellitus (or diabetes) is a chronic, lifelong condition that affects the body’s ability to use the energy found in food.
Statistics reveal that before independence, diabetes was at 0,44 percent, but in 2005 the figure had ballooned to 10 percent of the population.
There have been no latest studies but the Zimbabwe Diabetes Association (ZDA) estimates that the figure could have further risen to an estimated 20 percent.
In an interview, an official from the ZDA, Simion Jamanda attributed the rise to the changing lifestyle and diet.
“Long ago, we used to have dried meat, dried vegetables, a lot of unrefined foods, herbs and other organic foods but the advent of technology has brought about a lot of refined foods and changes in lifestyle hence the upsurge of Type 2 diabetes,” said Jamanda.
There are three major types of diabetes: Type 1 diabetes, Type 2 and gestational diabetes.
Globally, Type 2 accounts for 95 percent and is mostly common among adults.
“We can describe Type 2 diabetes as a condition that is caused by ‘good living’ because what we term the ‘full English breakfast’ makes us consume foods that will push our sugars high, gain weight and eventually make us obese and the result is Type 2 diabetes,” said Jamanda.
Jamanda said there was need for people to exercise and avoid lots of starch in order to lower the risk of diabetes.
There is need, he said, to increase diabetes awareness to levels that have been given to HIV and AIDS.
He also highlighted the need to have medicines and testing equipment ready at health care centres so that diabetes is tested early and people know their status so that they swiftly switch to healthy living.
Jamanda noted with concern the level of unawareness on diabetes issues to the extent that most people did not know that diabetes treatment is free to everyone below 25 years.
The programme is dubbed ‘Life for a Child’.
“It is very rare to get information readily available on diabetes and as an organisation, we are facing serious financial challenges such that we are unable to disseminate crucial information,” Jamanda said.
“This causes people to be ignorant of some programmes that might be available for their benefit.”
As an organisation, said Jamanda, they have engaged partners who will help them train the trainers, among them, doctors, nurses and diabetic patients themselves who will in turn help the larger populace in terms of diabetes prevention and management.
Type 2 diabetes formerly called ‘adult-onset’ or ‘non-insulin-dependent diabetes’, can develop at any age.
It most commonly becomes apparent during adulthood, however, it is now rising in children.
In Type 2 diabetes, the body is not able to use insulin the right way.
This is called insulin resistance.
As Type 2 diabetes gets worse, the pancreas may make less and less insulin.
This is called insulin deficiency.
A person may not have symptoms before diagnosis.
Episodes of low blood sugar level (hypoglycemia) are common.
There are no episodes of low blood sugar level, unless the person is taking insulin or certain diabetes medicines.
It can be prevented or delayed with a healthy lifestyle, including maintaining a healthy weight, eating sensibly and exercising regularly.
For Type 1 diabetes, the body does not make insulin.
The immune system attacks and destroys the cells in the pancreas that make insulin.
Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed in children and young adults, although it can appear at any age.
People with Type 1 diabetes need to take insulin every day to stay alive.
Gestational diabetes on the other hand, develops in some women when they are pregnant.
Most of the time, this type of diabetes goes away after the baby is born.
However, if one has had gestational diabetes, they have a greater chance of developing Type 2 diabetes later in life.
Sometimes diabetes diagnosed during pregnancy is actually Type 2 diabetes.