Hamad Bin Khalifa University Press ( HBKU Press) has pointed out the need for youth awareness on diabetes by highlighting certain key findings.
An article titled, “Diabetes Awareness Among High School Students in Qatar” by Sara Amani from Texas A&M University at Qatar, details the shocking lack of information and misinformation among high school students about the causes of diabetes.
When asked about the ways to prevent the disease, 30% of the 189 high school students interviewed answered “not smoking”, 8% responded with “washing your hands”, and surprisingly even 3% responded with “dressing modestly”.
The present research on diabetes looks to couple youth awareness and education in conjunction with early detection among youth as a way to combat diabetes.
If the current alarming trends continue, about 73% of men and 69% of women in the country will be obese by 2030. Since Type II diabetes is developed later in life and is completely preventable, it is imperative that youth are well informed early on about diabetes prevention and develop healthy habits during adolescence.
Type II diabetes is one of the top causes of death in Qatar. According to the World Health Organisation, diabetes accounts for 9% of the total deaths in Qatar among all age groups, which makes the proportional mortality rate third only to cancers and cardiovascular disease.
A study published in the Avicenna  journal which was written in collaboration between the College of Pharmacy at Qatar University and the Qatar Diabetes Association, titled, “A programme for obese youth at-risk for diabetes in Qatar”aims to educate the youth on diabetes awareness.
They found that simply informing youth about the disease, its causes and preventative methods would enable them to make better life choices in relation to the disease. A total of 87% and 100% of girls and boys, respectively, felt ready to devise an action plan for their own improved health after being involved in an intervention programme that provided them with information about how healthy food choices and exercise could decrease their chances of getting Type II diabetes.
Dr Abdulla al-Hamaq, executive director of Qatar Diabetes Association said, “With the high prevalence of obese and overweight youth and diabetes in adults, it is very likely that the prevalence of pre-diabetes and Type II diabetes will increase in the young population. QDA is stepping up its awareness activity in schools and universities and conducts two weight reduction camps per year targeting the youth who are identified with high risk of diabetes.”
Most recently, a group of scientists led by Dr Abdelilah Arredouani from the Diabetes Research Centre at the Qatar Biomedical Research Institute and Dr Mario Falchi from the Department of Twin Research at Kings College in London, have been taking a look at a specific salivary protein, alpha-amylase which is produced by the salivary glands and is released in saliva, as an indicator of people at-risk for Type II diabetes. The team has based their research on other studies of the protein.
“The study is a follow up of other studies that showed an association between low levels of salivary amylase and obesity and glucose intolerance,” explains Dr Arredouani. “However, the mechanisms underlying these associations are not understood. In our study, we tried to decipher these mechanisms by selecting individuals that differ only in the levels of serum salivary amylase.”
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