|
|
||
|
|
The
Health Zone Newsletter In
this issue: Diabetes
deaths to rise 25pc as obesity soars The number of deaths from diabetes will soar by 25 per cent in the next decade thanks to Britain's escalating weight problem, a World Health Organisation report will reveal this week. The extensive study says that 76 per cent of British men over the age of 30 and 69 per cent of women in the same age group, are overweight. This compares to 65 per cent of men and 55 per cent of women in 1995. It is predicted that the number of overweight people will increase in the next 10 years, fuelling the rise in diabetes which by 2015 will be killing 8,000 people per year more than it does now. There will also be a surge in other chronic diseases such as heart disease and cancer. Dr JoAnne Epping-Jordan, of the WHO's department of chronic diseases and health promotion, said the estimates were 'conservative'. 'The rates of overweight people are rising quite quickly. We are measuring the numbers of people overweight because that is a major risk factor for diabetes and other chronic diseases. We want to highlight that one does not have to be obese - the risks start rising at a Body Mass Index (BMI) as low as 21,' she said. BMI is calculated by dividing weight in kilograms by height in metres squared. The normal range is 18.5 to 24.9, and you are obese if it is over 30. Headlines in Britain have tended to focus on obesity, but Epping-Jordan pointed to studies from the US that show a woman who is only just overweight has eight times the risk of developing diabetes of someone at an ideal weight. For men the risk is just over double. The study, entitled 'Preventing Chronic Diseases, a Vital Investment' to be published on Wednesday, looked into the rising levels of chronic diseases across the world. It predicts five million deaths in the UK from chronic diseases over the next 10 years. It presses governments, the food industry and even city planners to make changes. 'It is vitally important for future generations that we wake up and pay attention to chronic diseases,' said Epping-Jordan. 'The purpose of the report is to make the case for urgent, local and national action.' Charities in Britain last night urged the government to take notice. 'These figures confirm our worst fears,' said Simon O'Neill, director of care and policy at Diabetes UK. 'Diabetes is serious and unless those who are diagnosed or in high-risk groups are getting the care and education they need, it could literally be taking years off people's lives. We know that Type 2 diabetes is linked to being overweight, so people must be educated to eat a healthy diet and take up regular physical activity or the numbers will continue to rise at an alarming rate.' The charities Diabetes UK and the British Heart Foundation estimate that 33,000 people die each year as a result of diabetes. The disease raises the chance of developing serious health problems, including heart disease, strokes, high blood pressure, circulation problems and nerve, kidney and eye damage. If the WHO's predictions are realised the number of deaths will rise to more than 41,000 in 2015. Neville Rigby, director of policy and public affairs at the International Obesity Task Force, said: 'The biggest proportion of the population affected [by chronic diseases] are in the overweight category. This is the tip of the iceberg.' He added that BMI is not enough on its own to highlight a risk. A normal BMI but a large waist circumference could be just as dangerous, he said. The 'apple shape', he added 'indicates densely packed visceral fat'. Get
An A In Nutrition As their children head back to school this month, parents should remember that the foods they pack in their child’s lunchbox can affect attention and learning during the day. The biggest change parents should make, say nutritionists, is to limit the amount of sugar that kids eat at lunch (and breakfast). Doing so can give them the cognitive stamina to concentrate on their classes through the afternoon, say University of Michigan researchers. Although the brain needs carbohydrates such as sugar to function, the best carbohydrates to give kids are complex carbohydrates, like those found in whole-grain breads and cereals. Simple sugars, such as those found in sweetened juices, sodas and fruit cups, cause a spike in blood sugar. That spike is followed by a corresponding crash caused by a flood of insulin, a hormone that clears sugar out of the blood and into the body’s cells to be used for fuel. The insulin spike is responsible for the sluggishness one feels - whether you’re a grown-up or a kid - after the body has swept excess sugar from the bloodstream. The cycle of sugar highs and lows can leave your child slumping in his chair only an hour after lunch, right in the middle of English class. A well-balanced lunch will mean a steady attention span. Kids who are nutritionally fit have more energy, stamina and self-esteem that enhance their ability to learn, says Susan Aaronson, a registered dietitian with the health promotion division of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Obesity is a huge problem for kids, she says, which some schools have been trying to help change through healthier lunchroom fare. But the best option is still packing a lunch for your child, because few schools monitor the foods that children choose to eat in the cafeteria line. Since kids are liable to trade their food with friends and classmates, the best way to make sure you’re sending them to school with food they will eat is to involve them in choosing their lunch in the first place. You may want them to eat a hummus sandwich on rye bread, but if they hate it, you can be sure it will end up in the trash. The basic rule of thumb when packing a lunch is to include as much variety as possible. Small portions are less daunting. Kids are more likely to dig into a sliced apple or peel a Clementine than take on a huge piece of fruit. Veggies can be made palatable with a dip, suggests Aaronson Making sure that lunch includes a serving of protein and little bit of fat can also help your child stay engaged through the afternoon. Fat and protein are important because they slow down the digestive process, so the body won’t get slammed with a surge of sugar. Parents most often go wrong when it comes to choosing lunchtime drinks. Aaronson suggests only three choices: water, milk or 100-percent juice. Many kid-friendly juices are fortified with vitamins, but contain only 10- or 20-percent juice; the beverages are often packed with excess sugars in the form of corn syrup. Aaronson’s
final words of advice for parents: keep it interesting. Continue to urge
your child to try new foods now and then, especially as the school year
progresses and you find yourself in a lunchtime rut. Your daughter may
hate seven-grain bread, but whole-wheat pita may get a pass. Something
different and a little hip, like a wrap, might be a big hit. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
