Diabetes epidemic rising

A quarter of them don’t even know and about a third of children in both primary and secondary schools are juvenile diabetics or overweight, first vice president of the Diabetes Association (DATT) Andrew Dhanoo .

He said the epidemic was rising significantly while addressing the association’s Health and Wellness Expo at the University Inn and Conference Centre, St Augustine Circular on Wednesday. Dhanoo said while the Ministry of Health and Education and Minister of Health had embarked on a positive initiative to reduce the consumption of added-sugar beverages in schools, more educational information was needed in the public domain to support the initiative .

“We are taking away sugar- sweetened beverages from the schools,but children are getting it elsewhere. They are getting it outside the schools,” he said. “Education is the key, and this is what the event is all about, to educate the public, the children, and the adults, because education is really the key to a lifestyle change. You cannot just take away something from someone or tell them not to do something .

“You have to tell them why not to do it, and how to do it properly .

Every year we have reports and we will talk about it rising – but what are we doing? DATT is trying to change the mindset, the culture of people, just by educating them.” He said education gave people empowerment and the expo was aimed not just to inform the public about diabetes but also about health in general, and would give people the information they need to live healthier lives .

From September 29 to 30, the association will host an expo titled Diabetes Care – A Family Affair, at the Centre of Excellence at Macoya