In fact, the UAE holds the dubious distinction of having the world's second highest rate of the disease - an illness which is closely related to lifestyle choices and body weight. The subject has received much comment recently and provoked a great deal of healthcare debate, particularly on World Diabetes Day, which was marked in October.
Acknowledging the fact that diabetes is in many cases an avoidable condition, Medcare Hospital, the private healthcare institution in Dubai, set up an evening diabetes 'camp' on Thursday to educate people on the changes they can make to help minimise the risk of developing the disease. Around thirty participants attended and were able to receive free blood sugar testing and an analysis of their body fat to help determine what, if any, risk factors they might have. A one-to-one interaction was also available with the key speaker at the seminar, Dr. Mohammed Salah Mohammed; a Consultant Internist and Nephrologist at Medcare.
'Diabetes is a condition that receives a great deal of attention in this part of the world and rightfully so,'
said Dr. Mohammed, speaking after the event.
'The level of the disease here is unacceptably high and often goes undetected in individuals for quite some time. In fact, it is commonly picked up by doctors only when it has caused an associated problem elsewhere in the body. This may be when, for example, a person experiences failing eyesight, which is then found to diabetic retinopathy,' he added. 'What is sad is the fact that in many cases, this loss of vision could have been avoided if the diabetes was detected earlier, allowing doctors the chance to stabilise blood sugar levels early on,' he continued.
In addition to retinopathy, untreated diabetes can also result in heart disease, kidney failure and even limb amputations; reasons enough Dr. Mohammed believes, that awareness of the illness needs to be maintained at the highest level. 'Camps such as the one we held on Thursday night have a dual purpose,' he said. 'Firstly they can educate people about the simple changes that they can make to minimise the risk of them developing diabetes. Secondly, they can help to detect a person's pre-existing condition,' he added.