By Vanessa Cort
THERE has been yet another call for Guyanese to adopt healthy lifestyles. This time, the appeal came from Dr Stephen Carryl, Head of an Overseas Medical Assistance Team (OMAT).
Of particular concern is the growing number of young adults suffering from diabetes and other Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs). Diabetes, which currently affects about one-fifth of the country’s adult population, can cause kidney damage, requiring daily dialysis treatment, as well as poor blood circulation and other medical issues. Hypertension, the other leading cause of death among Guyanese aged 45 – 64, can also result in chronic kidney failure, stroke and heart disease.
The underlying reasons for these conditions lie in poor diet, insufficient exercise and a generally sedentary lifestyle, which can then lead to obesity.
Affecting over 56% of persons 15 years and older, obesity can exacerbate blood pressure risks. While a diet high in carbohydrates, which produces glucose (sugar), can lead to high blood sugar resulting in diabetes.
Dr Carryl noted that persons in their early 30s are now increasingly showing signs of the early onset of both hypertension and diabetes, diseases which tend to go ‘hand in glove’. He also warned that these illnesses can lead to a myriad of other health complications in the future and urged that Guyanese get regular medical check-ups.
But the rapid growth in fast-food outlets with their deep-fried meals and an array of heavily sweetened beverages exposes Guyanese to the kind of diet that is loaded with salt, sugar and fat. The more we consume this kind of food, the more susceptible we become to hypertension and diabetes. And as more and more fast-food restaurants open their doors, the more inclined we become to enter and purchase.
The result is that we eat fewer home-cooked meals, fewer vegetables and begin to gain weight, which becomes harder to lose as we exercise less. Dr Carryl made mention of the growing absence of bicycles like ‘back in the day’, when exercise could be had from pedalling to destinations.
Now, a growing number of Guyanese sit behind the wheel of cars and opt to drive even the short distances they can walk. Those who spend their days at work in front of computer screens, on their cell phones or playing video games, all while seated, are leading the kind of sedentary lifestyle which ultimately results in ill health.
Staying fit and getting adequate exercise is not an option; it is a necessity. Eating a healthy diet is not a matter of choice; it is the primary means of preserving good health. Regular physical examinations help to detect the onset of disease.
As Dr Carryl pointed out, a visit to a doctor to ensure you are in good health is a way of practising preventative health care. It is a mindset which tells you not to wait until something is obviously wrong before seeking medical attention.
However, diabetes and hypertension are medical issues not only in Guyana but throughout the Caribbean and globally. These two diseases often “occur together and may share common causes like sedentary lifestyle, obesity, inflammation and insulin resistance”, according to Medical News Today
An article in the publication last month also advises lifestyle changes, “such as losing 5% to 10% of body weight, getting 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week (and) following a healthy diet…”
The message could not be clearer. Guyanese need to take heed and actively pursue measures to guard against these two diseases, widely recognised by medical professionals as the ‘dangerous duo’.
Decades ago, an Afro-American comedian and activist, speaking from experience, said, “People with high blood pressure, diabetes – those are conditions brought about by lifestyle. If you change your lifestyle those conditions will leave”.
DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Guyana National Newspapers Limited.
