Archive for September, 2012

Your Neighborhood Can Put You At Risk of Diabetes….

September 30, 2012

It is a known fact that diabetes develops because of the changing environment.  From processed food to urbanization resulting in the lack of time to do exercise. But one study done recently and published in Diabetes Care, Sept 2012, tells us that this maybe in reality just right in the corner of our backyard.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

Abstract

OBJECTIVE This study was designed to examine whether residents living in neighborhoods that are less conducive to walking or other physical activities are more likely to develop diabetes and, if so, whether recent immigrants are particularly susceptible to such effects.

METHODS We conducted a population-based, retrospective cohort study to assess the impact of neighborhood walkability on diabetes incidence among recent immigrants (n = 214,882) relative to long-term residents (n = 1,024,380). Adults aged 30–64 years who were free of diabetes and living in Toronto, Canada, on 31 March 2005 were identified from administrative health databases and followed until 31 March 2010 for the development of diabetes, using a validated algorithm. Neighborhood characteristics, including walkability and income, were derived from the Canadian Census and other sources.

RESULTS Neighborhood walkability was a strong predictor of diabetes incidence independent of age and area income, particularly among recent immigrants (lowest [quintile 1 {Q1}] vs. highest [quintile 5 {Q5}] walkability quintile: relative risk [RR] 1.58 [95% CI 1.42–1.75] for men; 1.67 [1.48–1.88] for women) compared with long-term residents (Q1 to Q5) 1.32 [1.26–1.38] for men; 1.24 [1.18–1.31] for women). Coexisting poverty accentuated these effects; diabetes incidence varied threefold between recent immigrants living in low-income/low walkability areas (16.2 per 1,000) and those living in high-income/high walkability areas (5.1 per 1,000).

CONCLUSIONS Neighborhood walkability was inversely associated with the development of diabetes in our setting, particularly among recent immigrants living in low-income areas.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

This study has general implications for primary prevention of diabetes. Choosing the right place to live is probably the most preventable risk to developing diabetes which is not well controlled can have significant long term health implication.

It is the belief that if your neighborhood is conducive to walking or running or biking… then most of the dwellers will have no reason not to exercise.  But if the environment where you live is not conducive to walking, then this becomes an excuse to be a couch potato.

 

 

Posted in General Health Tips, Lifestyle Measures, Medical News Bits, The Diabetes Facts | 3 Comments »

Red Meat and Disease

September 12, 2012

The benefits of eating vegetables are certain. The Risk of developing a disease with red meat intake is also certain.  Now comes a study showing that by merely cutting your intake of red meat by half, will also result in fewer cases of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.

In this study done in Cambridge, by cutting your intake of a burger by 1/2 in terms of amount, you cut your risk of developing bowel cancer and diabetes by 12%…

In an earlier study also in BMJ… by consuming red meat less than 42 gm/day…equivalent to a size of a small burger…one is able to cut the risk of death by 9%!!!

The study merely emphasizes… be particular with amount… lean meat will continue to be an important source of protein.

Portion sizes of veggies, meat and carbohydrates with fruit in a plate should continue to be the mainstay of what is nutritious, healthy and fun in eating….

Posted in General Health Tips | 4 Comments »
Tags: