Battambang provincial officials pose for a group photo during an event to observe World Diabetes Day on November 18. PROVINCIAL ADMINISTRATION
The world’s population of diabetics is on track to reach 642 million by 2040, a sizable increase from 425 million in 2017, and today one patient dies every eight seconds from the chronic disease, officials said while noting that diabetes is also a cause for concern in Cambodia.
The officials raised the alarm at recent events marking World Diabetes Day. In Cambodia, a number of healthcare-focused events were held, including one on non-communicable diseases (NCDs), in Battambang province.
“Diabetes is a chronic disease that places a heavy burden on Cambodia and the world, feeding a two per cent mortality rate from NCDs,” said Battambang provincial governor Sok Lou at the event.
There are three main types of diabetes: Type one, type two and gestational diabetes, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Type one diabetes is a condition that people are born with and usually manifests during childhood, while gestational diabetes occurs during pregnancy.
Type two diabetes, increasingly the most common type, is influenced greatly by one’s lifestyle. It is caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors, but behaviours that greatly increase one’s risk of developing it include an unhealthy diet, lack of exercise, tobacco use and heavy consumption of alcohol.
Previously common among adults, type 2 diabetes is also seen increasingly frequently in children, according to WHO.
Having diabetes essentially means that one’s body is not processing glucose or blood sugar properly. This is a problem because glucose fuels many of the body’s processes, including brain activity.
Diabetes of any type can cause too much sugar to build up in a person’s blood, which leads to adverse health impacts – sometimes very serious ones – and if they are left untreated, it can possibly lead to death.
Voeung Bunreth, director of the Battambang provincial health department, pointed out that the most common diabetes, type two, also happens to be the type that can be prevented through healthy lifestyle choices or early treatment while a person is in the pre-diabetic stage.
“The consequences of diabetes are damage to the heart, eyes and kidneys as well as ulcers on the legs and possibly amputation of the legs. Diabetes treatment is lifelong, but it is effective if done correctly, and diabetes can largely be prevented through a healthy and balanced diet,” Bunreth said.
World Diabetes Day was observed on November 14 this year under the theme “Together we can prevent obesity and diabetes through lifestyle changes”.
The main purpose of World Diabetes Day is to raise awareness of the effects of diabetes on families, promote education, prevent the chronic disease and urge the world to fight against diabetes as it is a major global health issue.
World Diabetes Day was established in 1991 by the International Diabetes Federation with WHO’s support in response to growing health concerns and economic threats caused by the disease. The date became an official day recognised by the UN in 2006.
