Diabetics in India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan married to discord
What do actor Kamalahasan, politician Sushma Swaraj, cricketer Wasim
Akram and VJ Gaurav Kapoor have in common? Well, all four have Type I
diabetes.
Type I diabetes is caused by the destruction of beta cells in the
pancreas, which produces insulin. This is different from Type II
diabetes, which is linked to a sedentary lifestyle and unhealthy eating
habits. Incidentally, 90 per cent of the world's diabetics are the Type
II variety.
While diabetes is a common ailment, afflicting as many as 35 million
people in India alone, the social fallout is perhaps the least discussed
aspect of the disease. Yet, for a majority of those who suffer from Type
I diabetes, it is a reality they have to face in their daily lives.
A recent survey on marriage-related problems among diabetics -
carried out by the Delhi Diabetes Research Centre (DDRC) among 2,000
people in age group 19 to 31 - revealed that finding a suitable life
partner is among the most common concern for a diabetic.
Not only does the Type I diabetic patient finds it difficult to be
accepted as a life-partner,but more than 90 per cent of those who were
married faced problems in their marital life.Confrontation, separation
and divorce were common among them.
The survey revealed that, of the married women who were Type I
diabetic, nearly 50 per cent were sent back to their parental home
within a year of marriage. Nearly, 25 per cent of the diabetic married
women surveyed lost interest in taking care of themselves, much less
monitoring the disease.
This happened mainly because the financial assistance to do so was
not forthcoming at her husband's home. Death due to health-related
complications was also not unknown.
Stigma and misconceptions
Stigma and misconceptions persist. According to Dr A. K. Jhingan,
Chairperson, DDRC, there is a fear that diabetes-affected persons cannot
have normal and healthy children. In fact, more often than not, diabetic
men chose to remain silent about their disease, before entering
matrimony.
Jhingan says what was most worrisome was the lack of sufficient
knowledge about the disease. "The social implications of diabetes for
the Indian subcontinent need special attention because of the region's
prevalent culture of arranged marriages where families do not enquire
about the prospective bride or groom's genetic history. This is
compounded by a lack of awareness on diabetes," he says.
The problem - which is especially acute in India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan
and Bangladesh - can only be addressed through a mass movement, focused
health campaigns and private and public sector involvement.
India, with its figure of 35 million diabetics, also has the dubious
reputation of being the "diabetes capital of the world". At the current
growth rate, the number of diabetics in the country is likely to touch
57 million by 2020.
On its part, the Delhi Diabetes Research Centre (DDRC is a private
outfit established in 1985 by a team of six Delhi-based doctors) with
its pool of 10 doctors, including three dieticians and two diabetes
specialists, has been regularly organising public awareness campaigns.
The Centre has also been holding the Diabetes Health Mela for the last
four years to raise awareness on this issue.
The Centre is also in the process of establishing a matrimonial
bureau, where Type I diabetics, who are keen to seek out life partners,
can register themselves. "It will be a platform for these patients to
seek alliances in an enlightened way," asserts Jhingan. The Centre
already has 300 Type I and 22,000 Type II diabetics registered with it,
and these people are kept posted about new developments and research on
the disease.
DDRC also conducts workshops where celebrities are invited to speak
on the subject. Gaurav Kapoor, Sushma Swaraj, Wasim Akram, and
Kamalahasan - all diabetics - have been invited to various DDRC forums
to educate the public on the issue.
WFS
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How to tackle diabetes
According to diabetologists, though diabetes is a tenacious disease,
it is surprisingly easy to live with, provided one takes a few
lifestyle-related precautions. Its symptoms are as follows:
- Blurred vision - Unexplained extreme exhaustion - Weight loss -
Increased thirst - Frequent urination
(Only the last three symptoms are relevant for Type I diabetics.).
Here are some tips for patients: - Be physically active. Walking,
gardening, jogging, playing with pets and kids and doing simple
household chores are greatly beneficial.
- If you're overweight, try to knock off excess weight through a
correct diet and exercise regimen.
Take the help of professional dieticians, if need be. Ideal body
weight is Body Mass Index (BMI), which is weight in kilograms divided by
height in metres. It should be 23 for Asians.
- Follow the concept of Glycemic Index (GI). This refers to the
extent of rise in blood sugar in response to a food item compared to the
rise in glucose. Foods with a high GI (70 or more), lead to a sudden
spurt in blood glucose followed by an equally sharp plummet. The human
body copes better with a low GI food item (55 or less) as they do not
cause a sudden spike in blood glucose levels.
- Eat a variety of foods - grains, pulses, fibres, fruits, veggies,
seeds, nuts, dairy and cold pressed oils (olive, sesame, mustard).
High-fibre, low-fat food is ideal. Include fresh fruits, veggies,
cereals like bran flakes, muesli, corn flakes, porridge, broken wheat,
brown/unpolished rice in your diet.
- Stick to skimmed milk, monounsaturated/polyunsaturated fats. Have
six small meals rather than three heavy ones. Follow the reverse
culinary pyramid with breakfast being the heaviest meal of the day and
dinner the smallest.
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