Sedentary lifestyle, obesity, stress, lack of sleep key factors for diabetes: Experts

Noida, Oct 1: Sedentary lifestyle, obesity, stress, dietary habits and lack of sleep are among the key factors contributing to the prevalence of diabetes, health experts said. The remarks were made during the 17th conference of Uttar Pradesh Diabetes Association (UPDACON), 2018, held in Noida on Saturday and Sunday and attended by over 500 doctors and academics from all over the National Capital Region (NCR) and UP.

“Over the last few years there has been a considerable increase in number of patients with diabetes and India is now tagged as the diabetes capital of the world,” Dr Amit Gupta, the organising chairman of the conference, said. One of the important reasons for this increase in prevalence of diabetes is sedentary lifestyle, obesity, stress, lack of sleep and dietary habits, Gupta was quoted as saying in a statement. Eminent doctors, including R R Singh and Amitesh Aggarwal, also expressed their views on diabetes — a condition caused by the body’s inability to regulate insulin levels that can lead to tissue damage and organ failure. Other experts stressed the need for new drugs and strategy to manage the epidemic.

During the two-day conference that culminated, several research papers were discussed, highlighting important studies and significant developments in the field, according to office-bearers of the UPDACON. The 17th edition of the UP Diabetes Association was organised by its Gautam Buddh Nagar chapter, said organising secretary Saurabh Srivastava.

According to a World Health Organisation (WHO) report, diabetes is a growing challenge in India with an estimated 8.7 per cent diabetic population in the age group of 20-70 years. “The rising prevalence of diabetes and other noncommunicable diseases is driven by a combination of factors including rapid urbanisation, sedentary lifestyles, unhealthy diets, tobacco use, and increasing life expectancy,” the report added.