Eating a healthy breakfast decreases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes

Eating a healthy breakfast decreases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes

New Delhi: World Diabetes Day is celebrated annually on November 14. Led by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), World Diabetes Day was created in 1991 by IDF and the World Health Organization in response to growing concerns about the escalating health threat posed by diabetes.

Healthy Living and Diabetes is the World Diabetes Day theme for this year with focus on the importance of starting the day with a healthy breakfast to help prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes and effectively manage all types of diabetes to avoid complications.

"Eating a healthy breakfast decreases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes", said Padma Shri, National Science Communication and Dr B C Roy National Awardee, Dr KK Aggarwal president Heart Care Foundation of India and Senior National Vice President Indian Medical Association.

"A healthy diet is, more expensive than an unhealthy one. The wide availability of cheap energy dense low-nutrient food is contributing to the global epidemic of type 2 diabetes. Foods which reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes such as vegetables, fresh fruit, whole grains and unsaturated fats need to be more affordable and more widely available", added Dr Aggarwal.

A healthy diet containing leafy vegetables, fresh fruit, whole grains, lean meat, fish and nuts  can help reduce a person’s risk of type 2 diabetes  and avoid complications in people with diabetes.

Diabetes is a huge and growing burden: while 382 million people were living with diabetes  in 2013 that number is expected to balloon to  almost 600 million people by 2035. Diabetes is fast gaining the status of a potential epidemic in India with more than 62 million diabetic individuals currently diagnosed with the disease.

Up to 11% of total healthcare expenditure in every country across the globe could be saved by tackling the preventable risk factors for type 2  diabetes and over 70% of type 2 diabetes cases can be prevented or delayed by adopting healthier 

lifestyles.