Preventive strategies needed to curb diabetes menace: Barnala

Chennai, Aug 30 (UNI) Tamil Nadu Governor S S Barnala said there was an urgent need to work out the modalities for preventive strategies to tackle diabetes.

Inaugurating the workshop on adolescent diabetes here yesterday, he said diabetes was a killer disease and was the route cause of many diseases, as it caused damage to vital organs, besides affecting the eyesight and lead to kidney failure.

Diabetes also leads to heart attack, stroke and even to amputation of limbs, he said adding ''therefore there is an urgent need to work out the modalities for preventive strategies and to tackle the killer disease''.

The Governor said there would be an estimated 350 million people with diabetes by the year 2025 in the world and 60 million in the country.

''Medical fraternity, voluntary organisations and the government should join hands to curtail the increase of diabetes. Awareness on dietary, habits and active life style is necessary'', he said.

Mr Barnala said type-II diabetes was common and was prevalent in about 90 per cent of cases and they can be managed with life style modification, exercise and with medicines.

The Governor said the problem of adolescent diabetes, obesity and polycystic ovarian disease were more common in young girls.

''Creation of awareness will help to reduce the increase of adolescent diabetes'', he said.

Voluntary organisations like Lions, Rotary and others should take it as their onerous responsibility to create awareness among the youth on the ill-effects of junk and fast food, he added.

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