Exercise, healthy diet vital in bid to overcome diabetes

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KUWAIT CITY, Feb 20: Around 75 percent of individuals in Kuwait do not exercise in the manner recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), reports Al-Anba daily quoting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for the Medical Sector at Dasman Diabetes Institute (DDI) and consultant in diabetes, endocrinology and therapeutic nutrition Dr Dabaa Al-Uzairi.

In a statement to the daily on the sidelines of the opening of the Gulf Conference on Nutrition and Physical Activity organized by the Institute recently, Al-Uzairi emphasized the need to raise public awareness of the benefits of the research and studies on nutritional trends and exercise. She said the conference tackled the latest recommendations and results of global research and studies about nutritional trends and exercise and its effects on controlling diabetes.

“For the first time in the Arabian Gulf, we are evaluating a conference that monitors the importance of nutrition and exercise,” she disclosed. The Omani Diabetes Association, Bahrain Diabetes Association, Metabolic Center for Combating Obesity and Diabetes in Qatar, Saudi Nutrition Society, and Emirates Nutrition Society are among the participants in the conference. Al-Uzairi pointed out many people are engaged in sports activities, which is the best way to protect themselves against diabetes, which can be prevented by up to 58 percent, or if a person suffers from diabetes, he can overcome it through exercise and a healthy diet. She said the conference highlighted recommendations for sports practitioners, as many of them who join health clubs could be exposed to inappropriate diets or use of nutritional supplements, especially if they suffer from diseases such as diabetes or kidney problems. She asserted the conference is unique because it obtained accreditation from all Gulf countries. She added: “We tried to unify all recommendations by specialists, whether doctors or nutritionists.

Dasman Diabetes Institute is using many researches related to diabetes and exercise, which have been published in international journals.” On the other hand, the Chairperson of the Organizing Committee for the conference and clinical nutrition specialist at the Institute and the Amiri Hospital Jumana Al-Kandari revealed: “Over the past six years, we have organized successive conferences on therapeutic nutrition, but this year the conference represents the first of its kind for several reasons, the most important of which is the presence of Gulf diabetes associations and it is also considered a specialized conference in precise sports nutrition.” Al-Kandari added that research conducted by the Institute proved that the health condition of people with Type 2 diabetes improves once they exercise for a certain period and lose 10 percent of their weight. “This means there is a very close relationship between exercising, diabetes, and general health. The most important risk factor for diabetes is obesity, particularly if fats are concentrated in the belly.”

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