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Uganda: 'That Junk Food Will Make You Diabetic'
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The Monitor (Kampala)
28 March 2008
Posted to the web 28 March 2008
Jane Nafula
Kampala
THE rapid movement of people from rural to urban centres is one of the major factors contributing to the increasing number of diabetic patients in Uganda, an official in the Ministry of Health has said.
Dr James Sekajugo, who is in charge of Non communicable Diseases in the Ministry, said urbanisation has forced people to change their lifestyle and has exposed them to the risk factors of diabetes like eating junk food.
He told Daily Monitor on Wednesday that most families in urban areas feed on junk food, hardly do physical exercises or work like jogging and digging and have no balanced diet.
"People eat less fruits, vegetables, don't do physical exercises and treasure junk food," Dr Sekajugo said.
He said urban dwellers hardly eat boiled food. All these are risk factors for diabetese.
Dr Sekajugo said fatty and fried foods are very rich in fat, carbohydrates and proteins, which tend to increase body weight. A lot of weight constrains the pancreas from secreting insulin needed to reduce sugar levels in the body, which results into diabetes, he said.
Diabetes is a chronic health condition where the body is unable to produce insulin and properly break down sugar (glucose) in the blood leading to increasing sugar levels in the body.
According to Dr Sekajugo, high sugar levels in blood can damage many parts of the body, including the kidneys, heart, eyes and blood vessels that bring oxygen to the nerves, which may result into death if a patient does not seek early treatment.
He said some of the symptoms of patients with damaged nerves may include numbness in the hands, legs or feet, vomiting, constipation or diarrhea, problems with sexual function and urinary problems. The general symptoms of diabetes include hunger, excessive thirst, excessive urination, dehydration and weight loss.
Although there are no specific national figures indicating the number of people suffering from the disease today, it is estimated that over one million Ugandans are suffering from the disease.
Statistics from Mulago National Referral Hospital indicate that alone handles over 300 patients weekly. Dr Sekajugo said that excessive smoking and alcohol consumption and can also lead to diabetes.
He said that the number of patients has increased because most people have come out to seek treatment from various heath centres.
" Previously, people thought diabetes was a disease of the rich but now even the poor have realised that anyone can get it and that is why they have come up to test for diabetes and seek for treatment, he said.
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Insulin is an essential medication for diabetes and without it, a patient can die. However, the cost of insulin is far beyond the capacity of ordinary people.
A packet of 50 vials of insulin costs about Shs450,000. 50 vials can be used by one patient for six days yet a patient is supposed to be on medication for life.
He said the Ministry of Health in collaboration with the World Diabetes Foundation is currently piloting a project on improving access to the quality of diabetes care. The project is being piloted in the districts of Arua, Kabale, Wakiso and Amuria.
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