Diabetes may be caused by drinking drinks with high sugar content. Kazakhstan: Number of people with diabetes is growing, government takes measures Healthcare
In Kazakhstan, according to official data, over half a million people suffer from diabetes, and this figure continues to grow. The World Health Organization and the government are preparing a number of measures to stop this trend. The UN News Service report from Kazakhstan is timed to coincide with World Diabetes Day, which is celebrated on November 14.
Epidemiological situation
“Currently, according to official data, over half a million people are registered in Kazakhstan. This is a fairly large figure for a republic with a population of 20 million, but it is not final,” Zhanay Akanov, head of the Kazakhstan Society for the Study of Diabetes and a candidate of medical sciences, told the UN News Service. “Experts believe that official epidemiological indicators should be multiplied by two. Thus, approximately five to six percent of Kazakhstanis have problems with carbohydrate metabolism. This is slightly below the world average. The only countries with higher indicators are the Middle East, the United States, and Latin America, where there are a lot of obese people.”
A Dangerous Trend
According to Akanov, diabetes statistics tend to grow. Today, Kazakhstani endocrinologists record up to a hundred new patients a day. “At this rate, by 2030 we expect that the number of diabetics among Kazakhstanis will reach 800-850 thousand people,” he added.
The expert claims that in terms of the number of people with diabetes, Kazakhstan is the undisputed leader among the countries of Central Asia. For example, in Uzbekistan with a population of 40 million, there are 400 thousand registered patients. The figures are much lower in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.
Head of the Kazakhstan Society for the Study of Diabetes Zhanay Akanov.
“And this is despite the fact that Kazakhstan is one of the prosperous countries in terms of providing diabetes patients with medications,” the UN News Service source noted. “Annual budget expenditures on this item amount to approximately 90 million dollars, which exceeds the costs of oncological, cardiovascular and other diseases. And although some of the drugs are very expensive, all Kazakhstanis who need them receive them free of charge at the expense of the state.”
A frivolous attitude towards one’s health
According to the scientist, the incidence rate is growing for several reasons, including the neglectful attitude of some of the population to their health. “Unfortunately, many people show negligence and frivolity when diabetes is detected. Only 24 percent of diabetics achieve normal blood sugar levels during treatment, and 76 percent live with high blood sugar levels,” said Zhanay Akanov. “At first, this category of patients cites a lack of time for themselves, explaining this by their busy schedule at work and in the family. Doctors’ recommendations about the importance of following a diet, playing sports, walking more, and undergoing regular screening are ignored. And when their condition worsens, such people immediately end up on the operating table with either a heart attack or stroke, or with gangrene of the lower extremities. And then they are ready to give anything to save their health, but it is too late. And then they blame the doctors for everything. For example, the five-year survival rate of patients after lower limb amputation is no more than 26 percent.”
Today in Kazakhstan, the expert continued, due to complications of diabetes, on average five people a day lose a limb, and the number of amputations per year reaches 1,850. For comparison, in Japan, where 129 million people live, only 600 such operations are performed annually.
Reasons for the increase in diabetes incidence
“There are several theories of the evolution of diabetes,” the expert said. “According to my research, one of the main reasons is nutrition, or rather the quality of food consumed. Before 1950, humanity consumed mostly natural foods and rarely canned food. On the other hand, diabetes is a disease that is transmitted genetically. In those years, it was difficult to treat. Mortality was high, people died early and their genetic information was not passed on to the next generations.”
“But with the creation of highly purified insulin and other breakthrough drugs, as well as the emergence of a large number of canned foods and foods with a high glycemic index, the number of people with a genetic makeup for diabetes has sharply increased,” continued Zhanay Akanov. “The surge occurred in the 90s of the last century and has not decreased to this day.”
“In other words, genetics, comfort, and unhealthy foods are to blame. That’s the whole explanation, in my opinion,” the expert concluded. “As for Kazakhstan, I would like to add that weak preventive work and poor control over diabetes at the primary health care level should also be added to the list of reasons.”
WHO National Public Health Programme Coordinator in Kazakhstan Laura Utemisova.
“Diabetic alertness”
Only three years ago, Kazakhstan adopted the clinical protocol “Prediabetes”, which is successfully used in 45 countries around the world. Doctors, first of all, are faced with the task of developing the so-called “diabetic alertness”.
Prediabetes, according to the scientist, is also a pathological condition that requires timely intervention by doctors, and not only endocrinologists. “For example, a dentist, if he sees that a patient is losing teeth, has gum disease, must definitely send the person for sugar tests. Gynecologists and urologists, and all doctors in general, should behave similarly. Society should also be prepared, remembering that prediabetes can be compensated for, without bringing the matter to the development of diabetes.”
The UN News Service interlocutor is convinced that “diabetic alertness” among all doctors and the population will allow for an annual reduction in diabetes by 65 percent, using preventive measures.
The expert noted that Kazakhstan produces almost three billion liters of sugar-containing drinks per year. He proposes to introduce a tax on these products, as has been done in many countries around the world.
Laura Utemisova, National Coordinator of Public Health Programs at the World Health Organization (WHO) Representative Office in Kazakhstan, told the UN News Service that WHO, together with the Ministry of Health of Kazakhstan and other stakeholders, is preparing a program to introduce a new tax on sugar-sweetened beverages. WHO experts consider this step an effective measure to combat excessive sugar consumption.
“We hope that in the near future the government will make a positive decision regarding the introduction of taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages, thereby reducing the availability of these products,” Utemisova said.