Kathmandu, May 28

The number of people suffering from diabetes has been increasing in the country, of late.

Unhealthy diet, lack of physical activities, alcohol, tobacco, stress, obesity and changing lifestyles are to be blamed for the rising number of diabetic patients.

According to the data provided by Bir Hospital about 11,000 patients visited the hospital’s Diabetes and Endocrine Unit in the fiscal 2017-18. The number of patients visiting the hospital in the year 2016-17 was about 9,000. “There has been a steady rise in the number of diabetic patients,” said Dr Alark Devkota Rajouria at Diabetes and Endocrine Unit, National Academy of Medical Sciences, Bir Hospital.

Even young people (below 40 years of age) are being diagnose with diabetes in recent years. Earlier, only 30 per cent of the total diabetic patients were below 40 years of age, but now 50 percent such patients are below 40 years of age. The main reason for rising number of diabetic patients is changing life style and food habits, according to doctors.

The number of diabetic patients has increased also because more people are now aware of the disease. But still people visit hospitals in the last stage. Dr Rajouria advised

people to go for blood sugar check when they reach 35.

Compared to people in villages, people of urban areas are more likely to suffer from diabetes. Cases of diabetes is also high among people returning from foreign employment for their dietary habit of consuming sugary drinks and fatty foods.

Retinopathy, high blood pressure, heart attack, diabetic foot ulcers, diabetic kidney and neuropathy — a condition that affects activities of nerves — are some of the complications seen in a diabetic patient.

According to the doctor, avoiding processed food with fat and sugar, maintaining weight, consuming plenty of vegetables, fruits and fibrous food help in preventing the disease.

According to World Health Organisation’s Global report on diabetes, the number of adults living with diabetes has almost quadrupled since 1980 to 422 million. This dramatic rise is largely due to the rise in type 2 diabetes and the factors driving it include, overweight and obesity.

WHO’s South-East Asian Region has seen a recent dramatic increase in diabetes with an estimated 96 million people living with diabetes.