SINGAPORE: Leading international experts in type 2 diabetes are in Singapore to address specific challenges and opportunities of bariatric or metabolic surgery for Asian patients and health care systems.

The Asia-Pacific Workshop on Metabolic Surgery for Diabetes is part of a global educational programme developed by the Diabetes Surgery Center of New York-Presbyterian Hospital / Weill Cornell Medical Centre.

The workshop is presented jointly with A*STAR Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, and the Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute of Melbourne, Australia.

The International Diabetes Federation recognises surgery as an appropriate treatment for obese persons with type 2 diabetes who have not achieved the recommended targets with available medical therapies. This is especially so when there are other major medical conditions such as hypertension and dyslipidemia.

Bariatric or metabolic surgery has been shown to dramatically improve diabetes, and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and death.

In spite of the potential gains, access to surgery for those who are eligible is very limited and barriers are substantial. Less than two per cent of eligible patients have access to this type of surgery in the United States. The figure is even lower in the rest of the world.

Paul Zimmet from the Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute of Melbourne said Asian populations have an increased risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease at lower BMI levels compared with subjects of European descent, due to more abdominal fat.

The expert also noted that diabetes is rising epidemically in India, China, Japan and other countries. More than one-third of type 2 diabetes in the world is now in the Asian region.

The meeting in Singapore is expected to raise awareness about diabetes surgery in Asia and craft an agenda for health care policies to improve access to surgery for eligible patients with diabetes.

Judith Swain, executive director of A*STAR’s Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, said the workshop is a critical step towards developing the emerging field of diabetes surgery quickly and safely in the region.

-CNA/ac

<!– Zone Tag : Channel News Asia In Text

innity_pub = “66368270ffd51418ec58bd793f2d9b1b”;
innity_zone = “12251″;
innity_width = “**”;
innity_height = “**”;
innity_country = “SG”;

–>

Article source: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1181257/1/.html

According to the 2011 Burden of Diabetes, it is estimated in Wisconsin that 1,460,250 people age 20 and older have pre-diabetes. Among those 20 and older in our area, it is estimated that 19,450 people in Wood County, 5,710 in Adams County and 18,000 in Portage County have pre-diabetes. All of these people have an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke.

To identify pre-diabetes you need to look at blood sugar levels, which are available through a simple blood test. The normal fasting blood sugar level is 70-99 mg/dl. A score of 100-125 mg/dl is considered pre-diabetes. Individuals with an A1c of 5.7 percent to 6.4 percent are at increased risk for diabetes as well as heart disease. A typical diagnosis of diabetes is a fasting blood sugar level of 126 mg/dl or greater on two occasions or a random blood sugar level above 200 mg/dl accompanied by symptoms of excessive thirst, excessive urination, fatigue or blurred vision. An A1c of 6.5 percent or greater is also indicative of diabetes.

Having pre-diabetes increases a person’s risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Having two or more of the following risk factors puts a person at an elevated risk of developing pre-diabetes:

» Overweight, body mass index of 25 or higher

» Age 45 or older

» Inactive lifestyle

» Family history of diabetes

» Low HDL or “good” cholesterol level, 35 mg/dl or below, and high triglyceride level, 250 mg/dl or above

» Elevated blood pressure

» History of gestational diabetes, giving birth to a baby over 9 pounds

» Belonging to one of the following ethnic groups: African American, Native American, Hispanic, Asian American or Pacific Islander.

If you feel you may have pre-diabetes, there is good news. You may prevent any progression of the disease with an increase in exercise and moderate weight loss.

Please talk to your physician about what you can do to decrease your risk of developing pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes. You may also call the Riverview Diabetes Nutrition Center to find out about the pre-diabetes education offered by our certified diabetes educators, all of whom are either registered nurses or registered dietitians. The phone number for the Riverview Diabetes Nutrition Center is 715-421-7566.

Article source: http://www.wisconsinrapidstribune.com/article/20120206/WRT04/202060329/Take-steps-detect-reverse-pre-diabetes?odyssey=mod%7Cdefcon%7Ctext%7CFRONTPAGE

National guidelines already recommend having good control over blood sugar levels before trying to conceive.

Both Type 1 diabetes, which tends to appear in childhood, and Type 2 diabetes, largely as a result of diet, lead to problems controlling the amount of sugar in the blood.

This is known to cause problems in pregnancy, such as birth defects, miscarriage and the baby being overweight due to too much sugar.

There is concern that rising levels of diabetes, particularly Type 2, could make the issue worse.

For the new study, researchers at Newcastle University analysed data from 401,149 pregnancies in the northeast of England between 1996 and 2008 – 1,677 women had diabetes.

The risk of birth defects went from 19 in every 1,000 births for women without pre-existing diabetes to 72 in every 1,000 births for women with diabetes.

Their report, published in the journal Diabetologia, said that sugar levels in the run-up to conception were the “most important” risk factor that could be controlled.

“Many of these anomalies happen in the first four to six weeks,” Dr Ruth Bell from Newcastle University, the lead researcher, told the BBC.

She said the number of pregnancies with poor sugar control were “more than we would like”.

“It is a problem when the pregnancy is not intended or when people are not aware they need to talk to their doctors before pregnancy,” she said.

Guidelines from the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence say women should reduce their blood sugar levels to below 6.1 percent before trying to have a baby.

“The good news is that, with expert help before and during pregnancy, most women with diabetes will have a healthy baby,” Dr Bell said.

“The risk of problems can be reduced by taking extra care to have the best possible glucose control before becoming pregnant,” she added.

Article source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/health/Diabetes-in-pregnancy-ups-birth-defects-risk/articleshow/11777237.cms

The annual diabetes education program was held on Jan. 20 at SIUE. Rawnie Berry, associate manager of the National Diabetes Association office in St. Louis, representing the Metro East, said it once again was “a big success.”

The free program took place at the Morris University Center at SIUE and was also sponsored by SIUE’s School of Pharmacy and SIUE student activity fees.

“We had a wonderful crowd and we were supported by so many communities,” Berry said. “We had people from Jerseyville, Florissant, Mo., Waterloo, Highland, and all over the region. We determined about 240 attended.”

Berry said seeing the kinship with people who could share stories and feelings with others who had diabetes was overwhelming.

“I feel this type of program gives people the knowledge and the power to manage diabetes and feel like they have control to use the tools to help them,” she said. “To see hundreds of people in the room sharing experiences and bonding together, it gives people strength and hope. That was what I heard over and over again.”

One million adults and 9,000 children in Illinois and Missouri have diabetes. An estimated one in seven people throughout the country have the illness. There are two types of diabetes: Type I, insulin dependent; and Type II, where people control the illness with medicine, diet and exercise.

Vendors with information tables at the event included Alton Memorial Hospital, Saint Anthony’s, St. Clare’s Hospital, Sanford-Brown College, Roche, The Imaging Center of Southern Illinois, Sanvita, Southern Illinois Health Care Foundation and more.

Presenters were Amanda Hoffstetter on Insulin 101, Dr. Erich Kirk on physical activity, Dr. Andrew King on stress management, Cindy Hartman on food labels and optometrist Eric Jones on vision health.

Hartman was mentioned repeatedly by those who attended, Berry said.

“Cindy did a presentation holding up food labels and asking the crowd questions and exemplifying to them the misconceptions they have when they read the labels,” she said. “She tells the people with diabetes how to read the labels.”

Participants also enjoyed free testing of blood pressure and cholesterol, A1c tests and foot exams.

“Those attending were very grateful to have all the tests free at our event,” Berry said.

dbrannan@thetelegraph.com

Article source: http://www.thetelegraph.com/news/diabetes-65582-people-berry.html

Examiners provide unique and original content to enhance life in your local city wherever that may be. Examiners come from all walks of life and contribute original content to entertain, inform, and inspire.

Article source: http://www.examiner.com/diabetes-in-philadelphia/the-diabetic-week-review-week-ending-4-february-2012

With the worsening incidence of diabetes sweepiing across the world, EZRA IJIOMA examines the different types of diabetes and reasons for its high incidence in Nigeria.

In 2003, when he was 21 years old, Ken developed a puzzling, unquenchable thirst. He also had to urinate frequently—eventually about every 20 minutes. Soon Ken’s limbs began to feel heavy. He was chronically tired, and his vision became blurry.

A visit to the doctor confirmed that Ken had more than the flu—he also had Type 1 diabetes mellitus—diabetes, for short. Ken spent six weeks in the hospital before his blood-sugar level stabilized. Ken is not alone in this.

“Your blood tests came back with significant abnormalities.

You need immediate medical attention,” the doctor’s told Deborah. “That night, I kept thinking there must have been a lab error,” she says. “I told myself I just couldn’t be sick.”
Like many people, Deborah thought that she was reasonably healthy, so she ignored the nagging symptoms. She blamed her persistent thirst on the antihistamines she was taking. She attributed the frequent urination to an excess intake of water. And the tiredness—well, as a working mother, why won’t she be exhausted?

But then a blood test confirmed that diabetes was the culprit. It was difficult for Deborah to accept the diagnosis. “I told no one about my illness,” she says. “At night, when the family was asleep, I would stare out at the darkness and cry.”

Upon learning that they have diabetes, some, like Deborah, experience a flood of emotions, including depression and even anger. “I went through a tearful period of denial,” says Karen, who was also diagnosed with diabetes.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) in its latest release said that the prevalence of diabetes has reached epidemic proportions. It predicts that developing countries will bear the brunt of this epidemic in the 21st century. Currently, more than 70 per cent of people with diabetes live in low – and middle income countries.

Once a rich man’s disease, diabetes has scaled the wealth barrier to afflict the poor as the embrace the habits of the rich.

An estimated 285 million people, corresponding to 6.4 per cent of the world’s adult population, will live with diabetes as at 2010. The number is expected to grow to 438 million by 2030, corresponding to 7.8 per cent of the adult population.

WHO’s figures show that while the global prevalence of diabetes is 6.4 per cent, the prevalence varies from 10.2 per cent in the Western Pacific to 3.8 per cent in the African region. However, the African region is expected to experience the highest increase. India has the world’s largest diabetes population, followed by China with 43.2 million.

According to the Federal Ministry of Health data collected in 1998, which is the most recent, the prevalence rate of diabetes in Nigeria is 2.2 percent, which translates to over 20 million persons living with the disease then.

“There’s no diabetes that’s not bad. It’s all serious” said Anne Daly, of the American Diabetes Association. Diabetes is a silent killer

According to Dr. Ofem Onang, the chairman of National Medical Association, Cross River State Chapter, diabetes is a disorder of carbohydrate, protein and fat metabolism characterised by relative and absolute lack of insulin.

Dr. Onang, who specialises in diabetes and endocrinology at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, said that as a metabolic disorder, diabetes can be broadly categorised into Type 1, Type 11, Gestational and Secondary diabetes.

He said, “Type 1 diabetes occurs in people with absolute lack of insulin because of autoimmune process. It usually occurs in young people below 30 years. And Type 2 diabetes occurs in people with relative lack of insulin. Maybe, the body is producing insulin but this is not being absorbed by the body cells. It could also be that the body is not producing enough insulin.”

People with Type 1 diabetes need injections of insulin every day in order to control the levels of glucose in their blood. Without insulin, people with Type 1 diabetes will die.

Type 2 diabetes is often, but not always, associated with obesity, which itself can cause insulin resistance and lead to elevated blood glucose levels. It runs in the family. There are several possible factors in the development of Type 2 diabetes. These include: Obesity, diet and physical inactivity, increasing age, insulin resistance, family history of diabetes, less than optimum intrauterine environment and ethnicity (Africans are more susceptible than Caucasians).

Also there is the gestational diabetes mellitus, which he said occurs in pregnant women, who may show varying intolerance for glucose. The danger here, Dr. Onang said is, “These women though not diabetic before pregnancy, may have the tendency to develop Type 2 diabetes later. So the doctor treating such women should caution them on this inherent danger.”

There is also diabetes coming from sources like reactions to substances like steroids, anti-retroviral drugs and Cushing’s syndrome, which, Dr. Onang said, is an endocrine disorder characterised by excessive secretion of glucocorticoids.

“Our lifestyle is changing as we embrace Western lifestyle. We no longer exercise but consume all kinds of junk food in the name of enjoying fast foods. Nigerians are increasingly consuming sugar and other substances that leave them susceptible to diabetes,” laments Dr. Idris Omede, the president of Nigeria Medical Association.

Similarly, Dr. Dan Wagner, a clinical and natural pharmacist from the United States and who carried out free diabetic counselling and treatment in Nigeria in 2005, noted the increasing number of Nigerian adults predisposed to diabetics.

He and his team meticulously recorded their observations and he wrote, “Generally, we discovered a higher-than-normal rate of adult-onset diabetes (NIDDM), especially in men in their 30’s and 40’s. It would be premature to establish what the main cause could be.

“I suspect that they have a predisposition to diabetes from heredity; however, their diets are high in starch (mainly from potatoes and cassava), with a lack of vegetables, higher-than-normal sugar use, and most disconcerting, a heavy consumption of sugar-laced soft drinks, including Coca-Cola and Fanta.

“Keep in mind that in any third-world country (I imagine even in our own country), you would rarely drink tap water. So if they can afford it, many people will buy purified bottled water. But it is disturbing to discover that bottled water in Nigeria is actually more expensive than Coca-Cola.

“Many Nigerians consume 2-8 bottles of soft drinks a day. There is little doubt in my mind that this practice is a contributing factor to the high incidence of diabetes.”

Dr. Onang couldn’t agree less with Wagner. “If by 1998, according to FMOH data, the prevalence rate of diabetes in Nigeria was 2.2 per cent”, he said, “You can imagine what the rate will be now given how much we have embraced unhealthy foreign lifestyle.”

He continues, “Nowadays, there is what is called Diabetes Prevention Program. This is saying that we can prevent diabetes by modifying our lifestyle such as lose weight, exercise regularly, stop smoking, reduce alcohol intake and eat balanced diet.”

Little wonder, the diabetes atlas website lists the campaign goals of the world diabetes day as to: encourage governments to implement and strengthen policies for the prevention and control of diabetes and its complications.

“We are more interested in creating awareness than legislation. NAFDAC [National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control] should compel fast food outlets to warn consumers on the health implications of feeding on junk foods,” Dr. Idris said. “The scourge is on the rise and we are all involved. We must start now.”

Article source: http://leadership.ng/nga/articles/15452/2012/02/06/diabetes_celebrating_silent_killer.html

By James Gallagher
Health and science reporter, BBC News

Insulin can be used to control sugar levels during pregnancy.

The risk of birth defects increases four-fold if the pregnant mother has diabetes, researchers say.

The study, published in the journal Diabetologia, analysed data from more than 400,000 pregnancies in the north-east of England.

The risk of defects such as congenital heart disease and spina bifida were increased.

National guidelines already recommend having good control over blood sugar levels before trying to conceive.

Both Type 1 diabetes, which tends to appear in childhood, and Type 2 diabetes, largely as a result of diet, lead to problems controlling the amount of sugar in the blood.

This is known to cause problems in pregnancy, such as birth defects, miscarriage and the baby being overweight due to too much sugar.

There is concern that rising levels of diabetes, particularly Type 2, could make the issue worse.

Researchers at Newcastle University analysed data from 401,149 pregnancies between 1996 and 2008 – 1,677 women had diabetes.

The risk of birth defects went from 19 in every 1,000 births for women without pre-existing diabetes to 72 in every 1,000 births for women with diabetes.

Their report said that sugar levels in the run-up to conception were the “most important” risk factor which could be controlled.

The lead researcher, Dr Ruth Bell from Newcastle University, told the BBC: “Many of these anomalies happen in the first four to six weeks.”

She said the number of pregnancies with poor sugar control were “more than we would like”.

“It is a problem when the pregnancy is not intended or when people are not aware they need to talk to their doctors before pregnancy,” she said.

Guidelines from the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence say women should reduce their blood sugar levels to below 6.1% before trying to have a baby.

Dr Bell said: “The good news is that, with expert help before and during pregnancy, most women with diabetes will have a healthy baby.

“The risk of problems can be reduced by taking extra care to have the best possible glucose control before becoming pregnant.”

The charity Diabetes UK funded the study. Its director of research, Dr Iain Frame, said: “We need to get the message out to women with diabetes that if they are considering becoming pregnant, then they should tell their diabetes healthcare team, who will make sure they are aware of planning and what next steps they should be taking.

“It also highlights the importance of using contraception if you are a woman with diabetes who is sexually active but not planning to become pregnant.”

Article source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-16873489

Henry Xu, who owns a Subway diner, refused to accept payment as he personally home-delivered several meals and coffees to a regular patron down on her luck.

Customer Michelle O’Connell, who faces a series of health problems stemming from long-term diabetes, said she rang Mr Xu to explain she wasn’t able to come into the store for two weeks while her car was under repair.

“He said he’d bring me over my lunch. I thought that was a bit much and I said no. But the next day, he turns up with sandwiches and coffee – he did that three days in a row. He’s just genuinely giving. He does this sort of thing all the time.”

Ms O’Connell, 50, has faced serious health issues from her diabetes. She had to have a leg amputated and undergo a pancreas and kidney transplant.

Her replacement kidney is on the way out and she has gone back on to dialysis three times a week for the past year.

Recently, her legs stopped working due to nerve damage. She has been in rehab at Dandenong Hospital for three months in the hope that she will walk again.

Mr Xu said Ms Connell reminded him of his mother, who also had diabetes and an outgoing, positive outlook.

“It’s like a friend who needs help. It didn’t feel like this was about an owner and customer. I didn’t want to get paid. I think she is just so nice. She chats with our staff and they all love her.”

Despite her tribulations, Ms Connell tries to remain happy-go-lucky. “Diabetes is an insidious disease. But I’ve been upbeat most of my life. It’s been only recently that it’s affected me and I’ve broken down in tears.

Article source: http://www.greaterdandenongweekly.com.au/news/local/news/general/diabetic-gets-a-big-helping-of-goodwill/2444480.aspx

LOS ANGELES (KABC) —
Results from a new research study suggest that diabetes is linked to hearing loss in women.

Researchers at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit analyzed the medical records of 990 people who underwent hearing tests between 2000 and 2008.

The study found that among women between 60 and 75 years of age, hearing loss was 14 percent worse for women who suffered from diabetes, compared to women without the condition.

• Comment Now
• Email
• Print
• Report a typo
• 
  

Article source: http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/health&id=8532056