200 students attend mass awareness campaign on diabetes

Chandigarh, November 14, 2014: As many as 200 students of Post Graduate Government College (PGGC), Sector 11 here participated in a mass awareness campaign organised by Max Super Speciality Hospital (MSSH), Mohali to mark World Diabetes Day today. The program focused on healthy eating its importance both in the prevention of Type-2 diabetes and the effective management of diabetes to avoid complications.

During occasion the students took a pledge to join the fight against diabetes by forming a human chain.

Addressing students, Shivani Gulati, Head-Department of Dietetics & Clinical Nutrition and Dr Emmy Grewal, Sr Consultant, Endocrinology at MSSH shared tips with students on how to beat diabetes which was becoming epidemic especially in young generation particularly among women. They said that the most disturbing trend was when young people of 18 or 20 years presented with diabetes. This was an outcome of acute obesity and other problems like Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) or Hypercholestremia.

Shivani said that with a high genetic predisposition Indians were facing a high risk for diabetes. Type-2 diabetes was presenting in much younger people, usually because of early onset of obesity and a strong family background of diabetes.

Sandeep Dogra, VP-Operations, MSSH said that looking into the current status of diet and inactivity the style of working has dramatically changed with all the machinery and equipment available.

Dr. Emmy informed that one has a higher risk of type 2 diabetes due to obese, having family history and not doing exercise regularly. Having pre-diabetes would also increase risk. The symptoms of Type-2 diabetes would appear slowly and sometimes unnoticed like feeling very thirsty, urinating often, feeling very hungry or tired, losing weight without trying and blurring of eyesight, she asserted.

Talking about the importance of regular and balanced meals in beating diabetes, Shivani said that skipping meals was associated with weight gain and one of the main risk factors for Type 2 Diabetes. The best way to lose weight would be a combination of balanced diet and exercise.  Studies showed that people who would eat breakfast every morning were more likely to maintain a healthy weight. 

Dietary tips to keep diabetes at bay:

• Eating at least three servings of vegetables every day, including green leafy vegetables such as spinach etc

• Eating two to three servings of fresh fruit every day.

• Choosing nuts, a piece of fresh fruit or sugar-free yoghurt for a snack.

• Limiting your alcohol intake to a minimum

• Choosing lean cuts of white meat, poultry instead of processed meat or red meat.

• Choosing peanut butter or hummus instead of chocolate spread or jam to spread on bread.

• Choosing whole-grain bread instead of white bread, whole grain pasta instead of refined pasta.

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