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Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Fight Diabetes With Lifestyle Changes Among Disadvantaged Groups

It is obvious that those in the lower status, economically speaking are more affected by the complications that diabetes brings. There is therefore a vital need to to address the risk factors especially on the issue of excess weight among this group. Although studies have shown that lifestyle changes play a role, little has been done to tackle this problem.

Thank goodness to the researchers that form an international team to study the effect of the main risk factors among this disadvantaged group. They therefore measured the effects of health behaviours like alcohol intake, smoking, physical activity in non-diabetic 7237 adults who were middle-aged. They also measured the effects of the biological risk markers like the lipid levels and the blood pressure.

How did they determine the socio-economic status of the participants? Well, they based this on the education, work position and the responsibility therein. They also also based their assessment on the social status and salary. Anyway, after a follow-up of an average of 14 years, they found that they documented 818 diabetes cases with those in the lowest occupational level of having a 1.86 - fold risk of getting diabetes.

The international team of researchers found that the most important factor that contributed to increased risk to develop diabetes among the lowest socio-economic status is the body mass index. They expected this result but what they did not expect was that the effects of physical activity and diet were less than they thought they would be. The same is true with alcohol intake and smoking.

The researchers concluded there is a need to address this issue more and to work at a solution to lower this risk. For instance, how do we reach this group? What programs can we develop to make this group recognize the imminent danger and to help them eliminate this risk? Please comment and offer any solution that you may have so we can all help end this diabetes war we are on. Read more about Diabetes Risk Factors.