Singapore’s Chief Ministry of Health Scientist, Professor Tan Chorh Chuan, believes prevention of diabetes should start from a young age, maybe even before birth.
He was reacting to the importance of responding to gestational diabetes that affects one in five mothers in Singapore. It led to his call for screening for the condition in order to help in its management and lower its associated risks.
Professor Tan was contributing to a Straits Times’ webinar on keeping Singapore healthy, sponsored by insurance provider Prudential.
He said research is under way in Singapore to examine the effects of eating habits in early childhood that suggests children’s eating habits affect their propensity for obesity later on.