Diabetic escalates among young in Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Friday, 05 November 2010, 14:32 GMT]
Diabetes is on the increase in Sri Lanka among young men and women and among persons living in urban areas, according to Professor Chandrika Wijeratne. She addressed a media briefing on Friday to mark the Global Diabetes Walk 2010 at Sri Lanka Medical Association auditorium. She further said that one in ten adults over twenty years of age and one in five persons living in urban areas are affected by diabetes.

“Diabetes is no longer a disease affecting of the elderly persons. It is on the increase among the younger population. Sedentary lifestyle, lack of exercise; unhealthy dietary habits and being overweight are few of the modifiable risk factors for diabetes,” Professor Wijeratne said.

“The hazard of diabetes is many. It has become a leading cause of renal failure, loss of vision, loss of limbs and coronary heart diseases. Women are the mostly affected group by diabetics all over the world as well as Sri Lanka, she further said.

The Colombo University Diabetes Research Unit has organized Diabetes walk 2010 to be held on November 14 to commemorate International Diabetes day, Endocrinologist Dr Prasad Katulanda said.

The walk will commence from Independence Square and end at the BMICH. A mini exhibition will be held at the BMICH, he added.