World Diabetes Day in Saudi Arabia
By Dr. Safia Al Sherbeeni & Dr. Mohiuddin Waseem King Fahad Medical City Riyadh,
Saudi Arabia
Last year on December 20, 2006, the General Assembly of the United Nations passed a landmark resolution recognizing diabetes as a chronic, debilitating and costly disease. The resolution designated “World Diabetes Day” as a United Nations Day to be observed every year starting in 2007. The idea was introduced by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and the World Health Organization (WHO) in response to concern over the escalating incidence of diabetes around the world affecting the rich and poor nations equally. While the themed campaigns will last for the entire year, the day itself will be celebrated on November 14, to mark the birthday of Frederick Banting, who, along with Charles Best, first conceived the idea, which led to the discovery of insulin in 1922. Today, more than 240 million people worldwide are living with diabetes. Within 20 years, this number is expected to grow to 380 million. Children are not spared from this global epidemic with its debilitating and life-threatening complications. Therefore the theme of this year's World Diabetes Day campaign is “Diabetes in Children and Adolescents”. Diabetes is one of the most common chronic diseases of childhood. It can strike children at any age, including pre-school children and even toddlers. Traditionally Type 1 Diabetes was considered to exclusively affect the children with autoimmune destruction of pancreas causing total lack of Insulin (a hormone necessary for disposal of glucose); and Type 2 Diabetes was identified a disease of adults with relative Insulin deficient state caused by a combination of age, lack of exercise and obesity. Today, this type of diabetes is growing at an alarming rate in children and adolescents. According to a rough estimate 15 to 20 percent of Saudi children are suffering from diabetes though they don’t know about it. Most of these children are overweight with girls twice as likely to get affected as boys. American Diabetes Association recommends that overweight children and teens with family history of Type 2 Diabetes in the first and second degree relatives, with signs and conditions associated with Insulin resistance (black velvety skin lesions at nape of neck and arms pits, lipid abnormalities, high blood pressure, or girls with excessive facial or body hairs with menstrual abnormalities) should be screened for Type 2 Diabetes every two years beginning at 10 years of age or at the onset of puberty. Fortunately, many medicines are available today to treat those children who already have developed Type 2 Diabetes. As no cure is available it is prudent that community efforts should focus more on prevention of this condition. Recently many scientific studies have clearly shown that life style modifications, including increasing physical activities and opting for healthier eating habits, can prevent Type 2 Diabetes by about 58%, thus underscoring the importance of preventive measures in any health maintenance program. In Saudi Arabia educational institutions, private and government hospitals and social charitable organizations are joining forces to increase awareness about Diabetes and its complications to have a larger impact on the community with the ultimate goal of preventing unnecessary death and disability.
