Understanding Diabetes: A Growing Global Health Challenge

India has been named as a diabetes capital because of the highest number of Type 1 diabetes, and also nearly eight to 9% of Type 2 diabetes in the highly populated country. Southeast Asia, where we consume carbohydrate as a main meal, has got more issues along with the type two diabetes, what we collectively call metabolic syndrome.

Metabolic syndrome encompasses a cluster of conditions, including high blood sugar, elevated blood pressure, abnormal cholesterol levels, and increased waist circumference. Apart from these, it can also, in the longer term, cause morbidity, with regards to memory and also functional status of a person as they grow older. Given these complications are observed in a majority of the poorly controlled diabetic patients, and we have a very clear evidence that controlling diabetes, weight and waistline has shown tremendous improvement in these parameters and thereby quality of life, it is imperative for us to realize the problem and also the solution at the same time.

· A healthy lifestyle, rather than a crash dieting. Healthy Lifestyle comprises of being active and eating mindfully. It's not only what you eat, but also how much you eat and what kind of activity you do will determine our long term wake status.

· The most important thing is in staying connected to the healthcare team that could be a dietitian, diabetic nurse specialist or a diabetes coordinator, and obviously a physician or an endocrinologist.

· Having regular parameters check, including cholesterol, blood pressure and weight and waist circumference are as important as monitoring the glucose

Preventing and managing diabetes is a shared responsibility between individuals, families, and healthcare systems. By fostering awareness, encouraging regular health checks, and embracing a holistic approach to well-being, we can reduce the burden of diabetes and improve the quality of life for millions. Aware of this condition among the people who are at high risk (obese, family history of diabetes, any obvious atherosclerotic diseases that's already been diagnosed without diabetes) to have a regular monitoring by realizing the signs symptoms of diabetes and also having a yearly check-up, at least if not more frequently.