How can we stop the dramatic increase in diabetes presently occurring throughout the world?

How can we stop the dramatic increase in diabetes presently occurring throughout the world?

Although both type 1 and type 2 diabetes are increasing in frequency throughout the world, it is type 2 diabetes that has shown the explosive rise in occurrence in the past couple of decades. Since this rise is most clearly associated with weight gain and lack of exercise brought on by our current lifestyle, this trend will probably only be stopped, or reversed, by addressing these two factors.

While individual counseling and education are worthwhile and effective in some cases, a broader approach will be necessary to impact favorably upon weight and exercise in population terms. Interventions such as increasing the amount of exercise in the core school curriculum, provision of healthy school meals, and improved policies on the access of snack food vendors to school premises are among measures that are already taking hold and will hopefully have a favorable impact on our youth.

The engineering of the workplace and social areas to encourage physical activity, such as removing automobile access to the inner city, providing convenient and pleasant walkways and bicycle paths through frequently traveled areas of town, and probably financial disincentives from excessive automobile use should help to mobilize us.

Countries with emerging economies are particularly affected by the switch to urban industrialized living, in terms of rising numbers of people with diabetes, yet they have perhaps the best opportunity to effect change.

They are in the planning and growth stages and can make social and environmental decisions to improve the future before diabetes becomes an overwhelming problem.

Advice:
While individual counseling and education are worthwhile and effective in some cases, a broader approach will be necessary to impact favorably upon weight and exercise in population terms.