Jordan News

As World Diabetes Day approaches, nutrition experts are sharing recommendations and best practices for preventing and controlling diabetes.

“People can manage their diabetes by making healthy decisions and eating a balanced diet,” said Amani Omar, a Jordanian dietitian.

She also added that nutrition is an integral part of managing diabetes, noting that most people don’t realize that sugar isn’t just found in desserts, it’s found in many foods, such as pasta sauces, ready meals and drinks.

Foods that contain fiber, such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables, should be included in diet plans for people with or without diabetes because they provide vitamins, minerals and fibre.

Diabetes is a chronic disease characterized by high levels of glucose in the blood (or blood sugar), which over time can lead to severe damage to the heart, blood vessels, eyes, kidneys and nerves, according to the World Health Organization’s website.

The most common type is type 2 diabetes, usually found in adults, and occurs when the body becomes insulin resistant or does not produce enough insulin.

The website says that type 1 diabetes, previously known as juvenile diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes, is a chronic condition in which the pancreas produces little or no insulin on its own.

The site adds that about 422 million people worldwide suffer from diabetes, especially in low- and middle-income countries, and 1.5 million deaths are directly attributed to diabetes each year.

Jordan is expected to witness increasing rates of diabetes over the next 30 years, according to findings published in scientific reports published by the journal Nature, which also showed that most cases of diabetes in the kingdom are due to the prevalence of obesity in the country.

Aya Rashid, a Jordanian nutritionist, said that “excessive consumption of sugar is a major factor contributing to weight gain or obesity and increases the risk of developing diabetes.”

She added that sugar-sweetened beverages and sugary snacks should be reduced to control sugar levels, adding that instead of juices and canned sodas, people should opt for water with natural flavors.

She emphasized that “simple changes in our lifestyle can significantly reduce the amount of sugar we eat.”

She noted that people should be aware that low-fat foods actually contain more sugar. Therefore, checking labels is always important.