Chairperson of the West African International Diabetes Federation, Elizabeth Esi Denyoh, has stated that diabetes is becoming increasingly widespread, hinting that about 10 to 11 percent of the urban population in the country are diabetic patients.
She made these known during a three-day diabetic youth camp at Winneba in the Effutu Municipality of the Central Region.
The camp, second to be held in the country, was attended by 60 out of the 110 diabetic youth expected from Central, Greater Accra and Eastern Regions.
It was geared towards drawing the attention of the youth with regard to diabetes as well as to motivate them not to see diabetes as a death sentence.
She advised the public, especially the youth to adopt healthy lifestyles, adding, “We must change our diets. Genetically, an African is an African and we are used to natural foods so the introduction of the foreign foods is not helping us. Urbanisation has also not helped us since it has made diabetes more rampant.”
Mrs Denyoh continued…“Overweight is a significant risk factor, diet and other lifestyle factors may have potential as interceptive approaches to reduce a person’s risk.”
Mrs Denyoh added that by the year 2020, more youth would be trained as leaders in their various communities to help liaise with health institutions in order to provide children with information needs.
That, she said, would help empower them, impart knowledge on how to manage diabetes, prevent it and live with it.
The chairperson disclosed that the International Federation of Diabetes was focusing on empowering them to be youth leaders in their local areas to assist people with diabetes in the communities.
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