Diabetes prevention in a resource constraint country: BADAS experiences
M F Pathan
Bangladesh Institute of Research and Rehabilitation in Diabetes, Bangladesh
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Abstract
World is passing through a pandemic of type-2 diabetes (T2DM). It has been recognized pandemic initially by International Diabetes Federation (IDF), then by WHO and from 2006 by United Nations. Bangladesh played the most vital role for this UN resolution for the UN day on diabetes (Nov 14 every year). Currently, more than 80% of diabetic people live in developing countries, where life style is changing fast due to ongoing rapid and unplanned urbanization. This is creating decreased physical activity, higher consumption of calorie dense fast food and soft drinks and increasing obesity. In the past people did not realize that T2DM can be primarily prevented. A number of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) done in Finland, USA, China and India have shown that both lifestyle and drug intervention strategies can prevent and delay the progression (50-60%) to T2DM among high-risk individuals and this is likely to be cost-effective. For these reasons, early identification of people with undiagnosed diabetes or those at an increased risk for developing T2DM has been recommended to improve outcomes. It is particularly important for low resource societies. Diabetic Association of Bangladesh (BADAS) is the largest non-government diabetes care provider in world. Along with usual prevention programs, BADAS is also running several innovative programs like diabetes screening and education program in work places, awareness on preconception care through religious leaders, diabetes corners in religious places etc., to prevent diabetes and also to reduce the complications related to diabetes in a budget constraint country like Bangladesh. Our data suggest that both lifestyle (60%) and drugs intervention (lifestyle+metformin-74%) are highly effective in preventing high-risk individuals (IGT subjects) in Bangladesh.
Biography
M F Pathan is an eminent Endocrinologist and Diabetologist. He is the Head of the Department of Endocrinology at BIRDEM General Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh. He has published several research articles and review articles including the South Asian consensus guidelines on various aspects of management of diabetes and presented research papers at various national and international conferences.
Email: pathan279@yahoo.com
