Tag: diabetes

  • Labour’s Tom Watson ‘reversed’ type-2 diabetes through diet and exercise

    Tom Watson Image copyright PA

    Labour’s deputy leader Tom Watson has revealed he was diagnosed with type-2 diabetes but has “reversed” the condition through diet and exercise.

    He has now come off medication after losing seven stone (44.5kg) since last summer.

    He cut out junk food, starchy carbohydrates and refined sugar and took up cycling and running.

    The MP has vowed to launch a crusade against diabetes if Labour wins power at the next election.

    “I feel great. I feel absolutely fantastic. Chilled out, I feel like my IQ has gone up. I feel younger. It’s a great feeling,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.

    Image caption Mr Watson says he reached 22 stone before he began his diet

    After researching the subject, he started a diet by “giving up sugar” and cut out beer and curry. He then began to exercise, starting with walking then cycling, running, boxing and weight-training.

    About four million people in the UK have diabetes, with the condition accounting for 10% of all NHS spending.

    Poor diet and a lack of exercise mean it’s possible a million more people in this country could be diagnosed with diabetes over the next 20 years, according to a report by Public Health England.

    What is type-2 diabetes?

    Type-2 diabetes is a chronic condition associated with obesity and family history and is more likely to be diagnosed in older people. It’s more common than type-1 diabetes.

    It is caused by problems with controlling blood sugar levels – either because the pancreas does not produce enough insulin, or if a body’s cells do not react to insulin as they should.

    The condition is treated by medication or controlling a person’s diet.

    Diabetes UK offers advice on preventing and coping with type-2 diabetes.

    The changes that could prevent diabetes

    Mr Watson has vowed to set up an independent, cross-party commission to investigate ways of preventing the condition if Labour wins power, with the aim of eliminating the estimated rise in cases within five years.

    “I think a lot of people feel shame when they are diagnosed with it because you kind of know, you get warning signs,” he told Today.

    “But for many millions of people, it’s an entirely preventable and reversible condition” with “the right nutrition and exercise”.

    “It is a public health scandal that so many millions of people are having to suffer this condition when they don’t have to,” he added.

    One of the most important risk factors for type-2 diabetes is being overweight or obese.

    According to a World Health Organization report, the UK is the third fattest among 53 countries in Europe, with heavy drinking a key cause.

    The United Nations body found 27.8% of adults in the UK are obese compared with 32.1% of people in Turkey and 28.9% in Malta.

    Those whose body mass index is at least 30 are deemed to be obese.

  • Upward Thrust in cancers ’caused via weight’

    Symbol copyright Cancer Research UK Image caption Janet Boak used to be advised being obese contributed to her possibility of having most cancers

    Janet Boak, from Carlisle, used to be diagnosed with womb most cancers at 51, after she spotted spots of blood 4 years after her menopause.

    She had a whole hysterectomy, which effectively got rid of the most cancers.

    It was once throughout a next take a look at-up that she was once told being overweight had contributed to her possibility of having most cancers. at the time, she was nearly 20 stone.

    “I felt like i used to be liable for my very own downfall,” Janet, FIFTY FIVE, mentioned.

    “It stuck in my intestine somewhat, considering i’ll maybe no longer have been on this place had I looked after my way of life out.”

    Janet, a grandmother, has seeing that misplaced nearly seven stone after she cut down on sugar, started cooking more fit meals from recent meals and became more lively.

    Most Cancers Research UK found overexposure to UV radiation led to approximately THIRTEEN,600 cases of melanoma skin cancer a yr – or 3.8% of all most cancers cases.

    Other preventable reasons of cancer integrated consuming alcohol and eating too little fibre, it said.

    However, overall the analysis found the proportion of preventable cases of most cancers had fallen – from 42.7% in 2011 to 37.7%.

    Symbol copyright Getty Images Symbol caption Drinking alcohol used to be estimated to have led to 3.3% of cancers within the UNITED KINGDOM

    Most Cancers Research UNITED KINGDOM stated the figures confirmed smoking prevention strategies were operating, however extra paintings was had to take on the growing downside of weight problems.

    Prof Linda Bauld, Most Cancers Analysis UNITED KINGDOM’s prevention knowledgeable, said: “Obesity is an enormous health risk at this time, and it’s going to simplest worsen if nothing is done.

    “the uk government must construct on the successes of smoking prevention to cut back the selection of weight-comparable cancers.

    “Banning junk food TELEVISION adverts ahead of the 21:00 GMT watershed is an important a part of the great manner needed.”

    Prof Mel Greaves, a cancer biologist at the Institute of Most Cancers Research, in London, stated the take a look at was once an “endorsement” of the idea that many cancers have been doubtlessly preventable.

    But he said the speculation that weight problems itself or eating too little fibre “reasons” cancer was “relatively simplistic” and still had to be explored further.

    “If obesity may well be avoided, the affect on cancer charges is uncertain – but they would almost definitely decline considerably,” Prof Greaves stated.

    “Given the currently high charges of obesity in young people, this represents (like cigarette smoking) a major societal problem past the bounds of the scientific enviornment.”

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  • Upward Push in kind 2 diabetes in children in England and Wales

    Group of young women Image copyright Getty Photographs

    The collection of children and youngsters being treated for kind 2 diabetes in England and Wales has long past up from 507 to 715 in four years, new figures show.

    More than three-quarters had been also obese, consistent with the NHS knowledge.

    Child well being experts said the upward push used to be “alarming” and the formative years weight problems epidemic used to be “beginning to bite”.

    Councils mentioned more had to be done to take on the obesity concern in kids, specifically among minority ethnic teams, who were such a lot affected.

    Kind 2 diabetes can result in a variety of illnesses similar to middle disease, strokes and kidney issues.

    The situation occurs while the frame cannot produce sufficient insulin to regulate blood sugar ranges. it might be associated with weight problems.

    The figures come from an audit published by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Kid Well Being of kind 2 diabetes instances in professional paediatric units.

    They display an increase in youth receiving take care of the condition among 2013-14 and 2016-17, but they make up a tiny share of the full population of under-25s.

    Almost 1/2 the ones handled for sort 2 diabetes in 2016-17 have been black or Asian, the figures display. They were additionally more likely to be feminine and dwelling in a deprived area.

    ‘Extremely being worried’

    The Local Govt Association, which gets funding for public health from the federal government, says the actual number of youngsters affected could be higher.

    It mentioned it was “extremely being concerned” that extra youngsters are developing the condition.

    Official data presentations that one in 5 10 and ELEVEN-12 months-olds is overweight, and one in 10 4 and 5-year-olds is obese in England.

    Prof Russell Viner, president of the RCPCH, stated: “a rise in Sort 2 diabetes of this importance is alarming and displays that the youth obesity epidemic is starting to chew.”

    Kathryn Kirchner, clinical guide at Diabetes UNITED KINGDOM, stated considered one of essentially the most necessary possibility elements for kind 2 diabetes used to be being overweight or overweight, which is one thing that may also be prompted.

    “Those figures are a stark reminder that we have a collective responsibility to push for the actions defined in essentially the most up to date chapter of the formative years weight problems plan, together with clearer and more consistent food labelling.”

    A Division of Well Being and Social Care spokeswoman mentioned: “We’ve Got invested billions in public well being services and products and feature already removed the an identical of FORTY FIVE million kilograms of sugar from comfortable beverages yearly.

    “Our new childhood obesity plan will now get children exercise extra in schools, and reduce their exposure to sugary and fatty meals.”