Diabetes affects one in five Yangonites

One in five people in Yangon Region is living with diabetes, according to a report in the Myawady Daily yesterday.
The number of reported cases of diabetes in the Yangon Region is higher than that of national average.
Diabetes is caused by a combination of genetic and dietary factors including fast food, sweetened food and fat-contained food.
Diabetes is a metabolic disorder which affects the body’s regulation of insulin. People who are inactive and obese are also at greater risk of developing the disease.
“Ill health is directly concerned with the foods people eat. Therefore, the diabetes patients need to eat less fat, eat fruits and vegetables, eat sugar free food and foods of high nutritional value,” said an official from the Ministry of Health and Sports.
According to WHO, maintaining normal body weight, doing regular physical exercises and eating a healthy diet can reduce the risk of suffering from diabetes.
Leading causes of death in Myanmar include diabetes, atherosclerosis, cancer and hypertension.
Diabetes is considered a “lifestyle disease.” —GNLM