Diabetes is a major health concern around the world – especially in developing economies, like India where more than 77 million people are diabetic. Data shows that this number is set to rise to 135 million by 2045. In fact, according to ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research) guidelines 2022, the past three decades has witnessed a 150% increase in the number of people with diabetes in the country. Despite the high prevalence and associated burden, diabetes, along with other non-communicable diseases (NCDs), remain neglected.
The dramatic rise of diabetes prevalence can largely be attributed to the rapid changes in demographic, socioeconomic, and nutritional factors. Coupled with this, a predominantly sedentary lifestyle has led to an increase in obesity and other diet-related noncommunicable diseases.
Speaking on how to manage the condition, Dr. Irfan Shaikh, Head of Medical Affairs at Abbott’s Nutrition business says, “Diabetes is a chronic condition that needs attention. If left undiagnosed, over time, increased glucose levels can cause serious health problems, such as heart disease, vision loss, and kidney disorders. Early interventions such as lifestyle management plays a crucial role in managing diabetes. Understanding the role of nutrition such as that of diabetic-specific nutrition supplements (DSNS) and physical activity on glucose levels is essential for the optimal management of the condition. Abbott, through various initiatives, is committed to raise awareness and highlighting the need for right nutrition for managing the condition.”
Emphasising on the importance of nutrition for diabetics, transcultural Diabetes Nutrition Algorithm (tDNA) is a new-age tool introduced to aid in providing nutrition therapy to people with Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) and prediabetes in diverse cultural and geographical settings. tDNA targets interventions for prediabetes and T2D, considering variations in cultural practices and comorbidities, and addressing interventions at all levels where current clinical practice guidelines for diabetes may not be portable to diverse cultures.
Dr. Osama Hamdy, medical director, obesity clinical program, director of the Inpatient diabetes program at Joslin diabetes center says, “It is generally observed amongst diabetics that when they are shifted to healthy diets, it often means dropping decades of acquired eating habits thus, leading to a poor adherence rate as low as 38%. Hence, the transcultural Diabetes Nutrition Algorithm (tDNA) is a therapeutic tool intended to foster the implementation of lifestyle recommendations and to improve disease-related outcomes in prediabetes and T2D patients ensuring nutritional interventions through a structured lifestyle intervention which can help improve a patient’s eating self-efficacy, maintain weight loss and glycemic control.”
