Obesity Fuels Pakistan’s Diabetes Epidemic
A recent article published by The Express Tribune highlights a growing public health crisis in Pakistan: obesity is driving a dramatic rise in diabetes cases across the country. The article points out that Pakistan is grappling with an epidemic of Type 2 diabetes, largely linked to the rising rates of obesity, a condition that affects […]
Processed Foods Dominate Diets of Japanese Youth, Raising Health Concerns
A growing body of research is sounding the alarm on the increasing consumption of highly processed foods among Japanese children and adolescents. Studies reveal that over 45% of the energy in their daily diets comes from ultra-processed foods, contributing to poor nutrition, threatening long-term health, and raising the risk of chronic conditions such as obesity […]
Don’t Forget World Diabetes Day: Mark Your Calendars for 14th November
14 November 2024 – World Diabetes Day (WDD), celebrated every year on November 14th, serves as a global platform to raise awareness about diabetes and advocate for improved health outcomes for those living with the condition. From 2024 to 2026, the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) has designated Diabetes and Well-being as the theme, reflecting the […]
Baby food found to contain more added sugars in low-and-middle income countries
A recent investigation conducted by Public Eye and the Baby Food Action Network has revealed alarming discrepancies in the sugar content of Nestlé baby foods sold across different regions. An international study, conducted in Belgium, sampled Nestlé’s baby food products, collected from Asia, Latin America, and Africa, that were analyzed for sugar content. The results […]
WHO Support for Soda Taxes
The World Health Organisation has published a global list of countries in its WHO Manual that have introduced taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages, and is calling on all countries to tax sugar drinks in order to save lives. Eighty-five countries are listed as having some form of sugar taxation in the WHO Manual, with several countries […]
Barbados fights Big Sugar
The legacy of colonialism, modern-day conveniences and a diet high in fat and sugar have bequeathed the island a diabetes and high-blood pressure pandemic. But can health plans win out over corporate interests? A report in the Guardian newspaper takes the issue on.
Highly Processed Foods Warning
“Your food is supposed to be your medicine and your medicine is supposed to be your food.” African Proverb This has been recognised in the Zambia Food-Based Dietary Guidelines that claim, “Evidence suggests most Zambians do not base their diets on diverse foods. The diet of most Zambians is monotonous, mostly dominated by maize-based foods […]
Jordan Publishes Its National Nutrition Strategy
The Kingdom of Jordan’s 2023- 2030 National Nutrition Strategy indicates a high level of diet-related non-communicable diseases (NCDs), in addition to an increased prevalence of overweight and obesity across all age groups in the country. Findings suggest the country’s nutrition transition towards a diet higher in energy dense, highly-processed foods and beverages, and lower in […]
Obesity Debate
Speaking at the first-ever debate on preventing obesity and fatty liver disease in the UK Parliament, London Ealing Southall MP, Virendra Sharma (Labour) said: “[It] is a public health emergency. Liver disease mortality rates are outpacing those for other major conditions, such as diabetes or respiratory conditions.” In addition to fatty liver disease, obesity can […]
Fijian Diabetes Epidemic
According to the Fijian Broadcasting Corporation, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has raised alarm over an “epidemic” of obesity in Fiji, which increases the risk of developing non-communicable diseases (NCDs). UNICEF Pacific Representative Jonathan Veitch said two-thirds of adults in Fiji are already overweight or obese and the number of overweight children is also […]
Hospital Admissions due to Diabetes
30 percent of Hospital Admissions in Trinidad & Tobago due to diabetes Trinidad and Tobago Senator, Charrise Seepersad, raised her concern that 30 per cent of admissions to TT’s hospitals were due to diabetes. Speaking in the Senate during the mid-year budget review, she proposed the consumption of wholesome, locally-grown foodstuffs to counter rising rates […]
Combating NCDs in Namibia
Namibia’s Minister of Health and Social Services Kalumbi Shangula called for a need to ramp up interventions and strategies aimed at combating non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in the country. He has highlighted the promotion of physical activity and adopting a healthy diet, specifically targeting the reduction of salt, sugar, and trans-fat intake to address obesity and […]
Low Carb Diets – Beneficial of Not?
A debate was held at the conference around the issue of low carb diets for people with diabetes. Carol F. Kirkpatrick, PhD, RDN, spoke first, arguing in favor of diets consisting of moderate, high-quality carbohydrates. Dina Hafez Griauzde, MD, countered that very low carbohydrate diets are more beneficial for people with diabetes, primarily type 2 […]
1.3 billion with Diabetes by 2050!
A series of studies published in ‘The Lancet’ estimates that the number of people living with diabetes will double by 2050. The researchers predict more than 1.3 billion people could suffer from the disease in 30 years – up from 529 million in 2021 – if there is no effort to address what they describe […]
Type 2 Diet Study
A low carbohydrate nutrition program delivered online has been shown to significantly improve blood sugar control in adults with T2D. The findings from the ‘T2Diet Study’ conducted at Deakin University, Geelong, Australia, are significant as they demonstrate web-based dietary education can support people with type 2 diabetes, alongside standard care, and provide options for people living […]
Social Prescribing Gaining Ground
Social prescribing is an approach that connects people to activities, groups, and services in their community to meet the practical, social and emotional needs that affect their health and wellbeing, including healthy food. Following pilot schemes in the UK some U.S. health care providers have been experimenting with the idea. Under “food is medicine” programs, free, […]
Surge in T2D in Rural India
Rural India is grappling with a surge in type 2 diabetes (T2D) that signals a significant shift in lifestyles and dietary habits among the population. The rise of T2D reflects the transition from traditional, physically active lifestyles to more sedentary ones, often accompanied by diets high in processed foods, unhealthy fats, and refined sugars. Data […]
Pan American Ministers Agree NCD Policy
Ministers and health authorities in the ‘Region of the Americas’ have agreed to promote a series of interventions targeted at children, adolescents, and young adults aimed at preventing the development of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) including diabetes – the leading causes of ill health, disability, and death in the Region. Agreement was reached at the 60th […]
Income Levels and Diabetes
Data has revealed a strong correlation between income levels and the incidence of diabetes in South Korea. A collaborative research group involving two universities and two hospitals in the country classified 7.82 million adults aged between 30 and 64, who did not have type 2 diabetes, according to their income levels in 2012. The group […]
One Size Does Not Fit All
A Chinese University of Hong Kong study, led by former Hong Kong health Minister, Professor Yeoh Eng-Kiong, calls for different approaches to different groups to improve the health of ethnic minority groups, and the poor. The study found higher levels of obesity and related health problems among Hong Kong’s South Asian community and is calling […]
Right to Health and Food
A United Nations report on tackling inequities in food, nutrition and health outcomes, recommends a rights-based approach. The report by the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to health, Dr Tlaleng Mofokeng, concluded that “The intersection of the right to health and right to food is central to achieving substantive equality and realising sustainable development, […]
Study Recommends High Fibre Diets
In a response to the triple-burden of pre-diabetes, diabetes and obesity, diabetologists in India are promoting a high-fibre diet for people with or at risk of diabetes. It is believed that changing nutritional habits have contributed to the rise in obesity and diabetes with a lower intake of fibre and an excess consumption of calories, […]
Sugar Tax Experience
PDGN Vice-President and member of the Moroccan House of Representatives, Dr Mostafa Brahimi, attended the Regional Expert Meeting on Policy Action for Healthy Diets in Dubai, where he shared his country’s experience of soda (SSB) taxes. As a member of the Moroccan Obesity Task Force, he explained how Morocco implemented a sugar tax and the […]
Sugar Tax Battles in Nigeria
The battle rages in Nigeria over sugar taxes as some industry players continue to resist and campaign against them, particularly in developing countries. In Nigeria, the National Action on Sugar Reduction (NASR) organisation recently hosted a media event to highlight the significance of healthy food policies such as the Sugar-Sweetened Beverage (SSB) tax. During the […]
Appeal to Religious Scholars
“Religious scholars have great respect within Pakistan society and they are listened to more than anyone else.” Masudur Rehman Kian Health experts in Pakistan have called on religious scholars to raise awareness about the harmful effects of unhealthy food. At a conference held by the Pakistan National Heart Association (Panah), the organisations president, retired Maj […]
Nutrition News: Is the Mediterranean Diet Best?
An article in USA Today thinks so, although it does recognise that there is no such thing as one diet for the peoples who live around the giant in-land Mediterranean Sea. With twenty-one countries whose shores are lapped by the Med there is a diverse range of foods consumed. But as the article points out […]
Nutrition News: Japanese Super Foods in the News
Why are low calorie, rich in nutrients and vitamins, natural, organic foods, in the news? They are mostly vegetables that according to the Japan Super Foods Association, include; spirulina, maca, Chinese wolfberry, cacao beans, chia seeds, coconut, acai, camu camu, broccoli sprout and hemp seeds. Superfoods are neither medicines nor supplements, but are important in […]
More Nutrition News: Food Labelling in Canada
Canada is to put warning labels on unhealthy food products. Manufacturers will have three years to prepare for the changes, with the rules set to come into force at the start of 2026. Companies will be required to add nutrition warnings to the front of pre-packaged food with high levels of saturated fat, sugar or […]
More News in Brief: UK Parliamentary Enquiry Launched
Sir George Howarth MP and former Prime Minister Rt. Hon Theresa May MP have launched a new inquiry into eating disorders in type 1 diabetes. Several evidence sessions are currently taking place, with the eventual aim to set out ambitious recommendations to ensure the NHS and healthcare system is better equipped to tackle the complexities […]
More News from Around the World: Support for Indigenous Populations
As part of a wider package of support for minority groups the Canadian Government has announced it will give the University of Saskatchewan CAN $849,753 to design culturally appropriate and comprehensive school food programs that are integrated into school curriculums. These food programs will promote healthy eating and can be implemented within Indigenous communities in the province. The […]
Diabetes and the Cost-of-Living Crisis
Rising food costs are threatening the health of millions of people around the world. For people with diabetes, whose management of the condition is crucial, their ability to do so is being compromised by rising food prices. This will in time could lead to complications requiring expensive medical interventions. Global food inflation is monitored by […]
Nutrition News: Call For Mandatory Labelling of Foods
The linking of poor nutrition to chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular diseases is well documented. According to Siphiwe Dlamini, a post-doctoral research fellow at the University of the Witwatersrand, writing in ‘The Conversation’, these diseases are likely to become increasingly prevalent in developing countries like South Africa due to rapid and often […]
France Asked to Act on Rising Veg Prices
The French Association of Rural Families has published a report showing a sharp increase in fruit and vegetable prices from 2019-2021. The Association is calling for the Government to give subsidies to poorer households to allow them to eat nutritious food. https://www.thelocal.fr/20220121/call-for-fruit-and-veg-grants-as-food-prices-rise-in-france
Benefits of two Servings of Fruit a Day
People who consumed two servings of fruit per day had a 36 percent lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes within five years, according to a study published in June in the Endocrine Society’s Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. That’s in contrast to those who consumed less than half a serving of fruit each day. […]
More Nutrition News: Millet Based Diet Lowers Type 2 Risks
A recent article in the Times of India quotes research suggesting the cereal, millet, is effective in preventing diabetes or improving control of the condition. Read more here: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/millet-based-diet-lowers-risk-of-type-2-diabetes-says-icrisat/articleshow/84875531.cms
UK Told Tax Sugar and Salt – Prescribe Veg
Sugar and salt should be taxed and vegetables prescribed by the NHS, an independent review of the food we eat has suggested. The report, led by businessman Henry Dimbleby, said taxes raised could extend free school meal provision and support better diets among the poorest. England’s National Food Strategy (Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have devolved […]
Nutrition News
Healthy Food Beyond the Purse of South African Families Healthy food is too expensive for many South African families increasing the risks of poor health from non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as cancers, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, high blood pressure, chronic respiratory diseases and obesity. These account for over half (51 percent) of all death in South […]
Indian-Food Tips
With a high prevalence of type 2 diabetes among South Asians, food tips to help people with or to prevent the condition could prove helpful.
More News From Around The Globe: Health Levy Bill Delay
As the country with the fourth highest burden of diabetes, calls have been growing within Pakistan to stop the delays to a proposed Health Levy Bill that proposes to raise taxes on sugary drinks and tobacco. The Bill has been going back and forth between relevant ministries and the tax department. According to the International […]
Research Corner
University of Exeter and Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust research revealed at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) 2020 on-line event, suggests screening could give two years’ extra type 2 diabetes alert. https://www.abstractsonline.com/pp8/#!/9143/presentation/1514 The findings from a recent study by a University of Buffalo researcher and others could prove to […]
Research Corner
Much of the research and studies make for grim reading with the implications for people and health care systems severe. All the more important to seek allies who can share and add force to your advocacy to seek improvements to prevention, encourage early diagnosis, and the best treatments. Effects of Physical Activity on Type 2 […]
News From Around the World
Morocco The Moroccan Diabetes League celebrated World Diabetes Day in the city of LAAYOUN in southern Morocco. Advocacy Action: Start planning now for World Diabetes Day 14th November 2020. Malta Thanks to campaigning MPs, an €800,000 investment will see 2,000 Type 2 diabetes patients on the Island, who previously paid for their insulin, receive it free […]
Watching Out for Diabetes!
National Health Service (NHS) England is planning to roll-out a device worn on the wrist to thousands of people who are considered to be at risk of developing type 2 diabetes. It is part of its Diabetes Prevention Programme (DPP), launched in 2016 in partnership with Public Health England (PHE) and the patient group organisation […]
Prevention – Saves Lives and Money
When multiple risk factors are tacked the risk of diabetes plummets by 75 per cent. That’s the conclusions of a study by a Chinese University Medical College. Healthy behaviours — such as physical activity, eating a balanced diet, and reducing alcohol intake — are well-established as key to type 2 diabetes prevention, but a new meta-analysis shows […]
Diabetes Epidemic in Asia
A survey conducted by Sun Life Financial among nearly 4,000 residents aged 25 and above from Hong Kong, Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia and the Philippines identified that more and more people from Asia are being diagnosed with the diabetes and fastest rate of growth was found in the Philippines. Out of a population of 100 million […]
Are you making use of pharmacists?
Where there is an established network of Community pharmacies, such as in the UK, many peoples’ first contact with their health service is with their local chemist. Increasingly health care managers are trying to encourage people to go to their pharmacy first before seeing a doctor, or visiting a hospital. Pharmacists are well placed to […]
Food Insecurity Link to Diabetes
A Canadian study has claimed that the average risk of developing type 2 diabetes doubles when someone cannot afford to eat regularly or eat a healthy diet. The study, published by the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto, defines household food insecurity as having uncertain or insufficient food access due […]