Have you heard of the staggering statistic that one in every three of us could already be diabetic? With diabetes on the rise in the UAE, it’s time to start playing some serious attention to your health…
Diabetes has been dubbed the ‘silent killer’ because it is so easy to miss the signs.
It is estimated that there are around 415 million of world population with diabetes, and the figures are on the rise, particularly in the UAE with 60 per cent of women and 66 per cent of men considered overweight, with 19 per cent of the population suffering from Type 2 diabetes.
Read: Why Diabetes Is On The Rise In The UAE
Determined to turn this problem around, RAK Diabetes Centre, in line with the World Health Organisation’s 2016 Beat Diabetes’ theme, has launched complimentary screening programmes open to all associations and companies in Dubai and in the Northern Emirates. It’s important to point out that Diabetes screening is also covered by your insurance scheme.
In the first-of-its-kind awareness and prevention campaign in the UAE, the RAK Diabetes Centre is wanting to team up with a number of organisations to provide holistic and comprehensive diabetes screening to at least 30,000 UAE residents this year while educating all residents in managing diabetes in everyday life.
Read: 10 Things You Need To Know About Diabetes
The comprehensive screenings, at RAK Diabetes Centres in Dubai and Ras Al Khaimah, will include tests for BMI, blood pressure, fasting blood sugar, body composition analysis as well as consultation with RAK clinical dietician and diabetes educator. Screening will also include HBA1C test to measure the body’s blood sugar level over a period of weeks/months.
Complications from diabetes are known to be major cause of blindness, kidney failure, heart attacks, stroke and lower limb amputation. Poor dietary choices, an inactive lifestyle and heredity are also some of the other top reasons behind the rise in the disease that shows few signs of abating. To help you maintain a healthy diet, the initiative will also include free culinary classes for employees of various organisations by celebrity chef Andy Campbell with an emphasis on healthy, nutritious and low caloric dished.
Read: Is Your Morning Coffee Killing You?
Diabetes Facts
- Many of us are of the belief that type 2 diabetes is hereditary and strikes only overweight and unhealthy eaters. That is not entirely true. The real truth is that it can affect anybody at anytime.
- The total deaths from diabetes are projected to rise by more than 50 per cent in the next 10 years.
- Type 1 diabetes is characterised by a lack of insulin production and type 2 diabetes results from the body’s ineffective use of insulin. Type 2 diabetes is more common than type 1 diabetes.
- Lack of awareness about diabetes, and insufficient health services, can lead to complications such as blindness, amputation and kidney failure.
- Thirty minutes of moderate exercise four times a week can drastically reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Too much sugar consumption can have serious effects on your health
Diabetes Warning Signs
If you have any of the below symptoms visit your local GP.
• Increased thirst or dry mouth
• Frequent urination in large volumes
• Increased hunger
• Weight loss (even if you are eating normal)
• Cuts that take a long time to heal
• Blurred vision
Read: 8 Diet Tips From Around The World
Did You Know?
Nearly all major clinics and hospitals in Dubai offer Diabetes screening. For your free testing at RAK Diabetes Centre in Dubai, call (04) 3801104 for an appointment. The centre is open from 9am to 5pm everyday except Fridays.
Images: Getty
