A diet of fibre-rich foods, such as the Mediterranean diet which includes fruit and vegetables, reduces the risk of developing diabetes, heart disease and arthritis, diabetes expert and president elect of the International Diabetes Federation, Prof. Andrew Boulton, told The Sunday Times.
Prof. Andrew Boulton“In addition, recent research suggests that a high-fibre diet is beneficial for the bacterial content of the bowel, nourishing the millions of gut bacteria we all carry. This is important because it helps reduce chronic inflammation, stimulates our immune system, promotes health and helps in the treatment of disease such as inflammatory bowel disease.”
Yesterday morning at San Anton Palace Prof. Boulton was keynote speaker at a seminar on diabetes awareness. He spoke about type 2 diabetes across the world as the 21st century epidemic.
The seminar was organised by MEP Francis Zammit Dimech, who co-chairs the EU Diabetes Working Group within the European Parliament, in collaboration with the Malta Diabetes Association and under the auspices of President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca.
Diabetes mellitus (or diabetes) is a chronic, lifelong condition that affects the body’s ability to use the energy found in food. There are three major types of diabetes: type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes and gestational diabetes.
There is currently a global epidemic of type 2 diabetes and Malta has one of the highest prevalence of diabetes in Europe, Prof. Boulton said.
“Malta has one of the highest prevalence of diabetes in Europe, by far the commonest type being diabetes type 2. Hence there is a need to screen high-risk individuals for diabetes –this would include people with significant obesity, those with a family history of diabetes, women with a history of gestational diabetes and others.”
There is currently a global epidemic of type 2 diabetes and Malta has one of the highest prevalence of diabetes in Europe
The danger of diabetes, he said, is that the symptoms early on may be mild or even absent – so screening of high-risk groups can be helpful.
Diabetes, he says, is a complex condition and there are 2 main types: type 1 which accounts for eight to 10 per cent of those people with diabetes in Europe; and type 2, which is the most common, accounting for up to 92 per cent of all people with diabetes.
Speaking about the causes of diabetes, Prof. Boulton said there is a strong genetic influence, although the exact genetic mode of transfer is still unclear. A family history of diabetes in a first degree relative makes an individual much more prone to develop type 2 diabetes in later life.
“Those with a history of gestational diabetes and with extreme obesity are at greater risk, especially if one has a genetic risk of developing diabetes and is obese.”
Other causes of diabetes, he added, would be pancreatic disease such as chronic pancreatitis, and if someone has had a pancreas resection, because the insulin is produced in the endocrine part of the pancreas.
“Rare causes include rare familial forms of diabetes, treatment with medications such as steroids and others and, it is also more common in people with other endocrine conditions such as thyroid disease, adrenal disease and so on.”
According to the IDF, diabetes currently affects 425 million adults worldwide and is set to affect close to 700 million people by 2045. The disease associated with numerous debilitating complications affecting the eyes, heart, kidneys, nerves and feet is also one of the leading causes of death worldwide.
The International Diabetes Federation states that diabetes is the ninth leading cause of death in women globally, causing 2.1 million deaths per year and, while there are currently over 199 million women living with diabetes, this total is projected to increase to 313 million by 2040.
Renowned for his work in the field, Prof. Boulton is Professor of Medicine at the University of Manchester in the UK, Consultant Physician at the Manchester Royal Infirmary and Voluntary Professor of Medicine at the University of Miami, Diabetes Research Institute in the US.
A leading endocrinologist, he has authored more than 500 peer-reviewed manuscripts and book chapters, mainly on diabetic lower limb and renal complications and also received numerous international awards.
Prof. Boulton’s visit to Malta to participate in this event – which forms part of an ongoing diabetes awareness campaign – was also made possible with the support of the EPP Group in the European Parliament. The event was co-ordinated by Narrative Structures.