Government intervention now required to divert diabetes epidemic in the region

10 per cent drop in weight can lead to a 10 per cent drop in risk of death, say experts at the fourth Abu Dhabi Medical CongressAbu Dhabi, UAE - 18 October, 2010: According to the latest figures (July 2010) from the International Diabetes Federation, diabetes is currently estimated to affect 18.7 per cent of the UAE adult population, the second highest prevalence worldwide after the Pacific Ocean island of Nauru, said Dr Maha Taysir Barakat, OBE, Medical & Research Director and Consultant Endocrinologist at Abu Dhabi's Imperial College London Diabetes Centre (ICLDC).
Speaking at the three-day Middle East Metabolic Syndrome & Associated Diseases Conference during the Primary Healthcare Congress in the capital this week, Dr Barakat said it is also important to note that diabetes is a regional challenge. Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman all feature in the top eight countries, worldwide. Indeed, more than 258 million people worldwide are living with diabetes.
"We know that up to 58 percent of type 2 diabetes could have been prevented by a change in lifestyle, such as including a 30-minute brisk walk each day and eating healthily," she said. "However, it is a common misconception to think that reasonable body weight equates to good health. The truth is that visceral fat can build up around the liver, even in people who are visibly thin. Visceral fat can promote the onset of type 2 diabetes, meaning that slimmer body types are not exempt from developing diabetes."
This year, three UAE residents have been recognised in Her Majesty The Queen's Birthday Honours' List 2010.  Among them is Dr Maha Barakat who has been appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for her services to medical research, training and public health in the United Arab Emirates.
"I am deeply honoured and humbled to have received the OBE from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth," said Dr Maha. "I respectfully accept the OBE in recognition of everyone who has played a role in the establishment, development and on-going activities of the Imperial College London Diabetes Centre. It is truly a collaborative effort for delivering world-class diabetes prevention, treatment, teaching and widespread public awareness of diabetes in the UAE."
Commenting on the importance of medical symposiums such as the fourth Abu Dhabi Medical Congress (ADMC), which took place at ADNEC from 17 - 19 October 2010, Dr Barakat said: "One of the pillars of ICLDC is education, and we see ADMC as being crucial to the on-going learning and dialogue of doctors and healthcare professionals in the UAE and the region. Indeed, the sessions are accredited as part of Continuing Medical Education (CME) points that all medical practitioners must undertake every year."
Also speaking at the Abu Dhabi Medical Congress was Dr Karim Meeran, Professor of Endocrinology, Division of Investigative Science, Imperial College London, UK who called for people to "drop weight by 10 per cent to reduce premature death".
"Weight control and the management of obesity levels are crucial lifestyle environmental factors that can help create healthier nations," said Dr Meeran. "Indeed, a 10 per cent drop in weight can lead to a 10 per cent drop in risk of death. It is time for governments to step in with policies that encourage healthy behaviour, such as the ban on smoking or fines on smoking which in the UK have proven to have positive effect on the drop in cardiovascular disease, for example. Similarly environment and policies that encourage people to eat more healthily, exercise more and lead an active lifestyle are now required to divert a diabetes epidemic."
It is the fourth year that ICLDC, an initiative by Mubadala Healthcare in joint venture with Imperial College London, has taken part in the Abu Dhabi Medical Congress.
This year, the event attracted thousands of healthcare professionals working in the Primary Healthcare, Emergency, Patient Safety and Rehabilitation sectors. Over 100 exhibitors from 20 countries were present at the IIR Middle East organised event, which showcases healthcare technology and innovation from across the four medical sectors. Visitors at this year's symposium included government officials, public health officials, hospital directors, GP's, nursing practitioners, physicians, paramedics, and rehabilitation physicians, amongst others.