“Walk Away From Diabetes” Author:Serena Josephine.M, In the New Indian Express,dated 14/11/2007 Abstract by :Rabasure in
300 words Walking is the simple and effective exercise and can go a long way in preventing or postponing ‘
Diabetes’ and its complications. As experts say ‘walking’ is the best means to tackle ‘Diabetes’. November, 14th, being the “World Diabetes Day”, the emphasis lies on primary prevention. Diabeticians say, ‘just walk 30 minutes every day’. Tamilians are hereditarily susceptible to diabetes, compounded by the factors, stress, laziness, westernized diet and the inactivity. As Dr.Rajendiran, HOD of Diabetology, Madras Medical College, says, ‘Prevention of diabetes lies in walking and proper diet which postpone the complications of a diabetic’ But the available statistics are alarming. According to the International Diabetic Federation, India tops the global chart in diabetics in the age group of 20-79, followed by China, USA and Russia and the projected figure in 2025 is worst at 69.9 million diabetics in India. Dr.Rajendiran, further says, ”Of the total diabetic population in India, Tamil Nadu accounts for 13 % to 14 % diabetic cases in the urban as well as in the rural population. Among them , 2 to 3 % cases, have Type I diabetes and the rest have Type II diabetes. According to the estimate of the International Diabetes Federation, 70,000
children, under the age of 15, develop Type I diabetes every year. Dr.Rajendiran adds that there are more number of young diabetics now, the children and adolescents and the age risk got reduced from 40 to 20 . According to Dr.Vijay Viswanathan, MD of MV Hospitals for diabetese, ‘it is important primarily to prevent diabetes from the obese children. We need to target the children in the age group of 10 to 15 years, that will go a long way, preventing diabetes.