Simple modification in lifestyle with daily physical exercise and avoiding junk food will lead to prevention of pre-diabetic condition or impairing fasting glucose (IFG), B. Veera Raghavulu of A U College of Pharmaceutical Sciences has said.
He was elaborating on the study carried out by him on ‘Prevalence and associated risk factors of impaired fasting glucose in students (18-35 years) of age of Andhra University’, at Andhra University Research Forum’s weekly programme on Tuesday.
“Pre-diabetes is a condition where an individual has a fasting blood sugar level higher than the normal, but not enough to be diabetic,” Dr. Raghavulu, an assistant professor, explained.
Answering questions, he said IFG was a clinical condition, but not a medical one. Pre-diabetes and diabetes can be prevented with simple physical exercise of 150 minutes a week, he said.
The urban youth were more prone to pre-diabetes because of rising economic standards and comfortable lifestyle.
Quoting statistics on Type II diabetes, he said the number of diabetics was 19.4 million in 1995, and was projected to touch 80.9 million in 2030.
Prof. Raghavulu said the study from April 2011 to June 2012 covered 1,949 subjects in the 18-35 age group, and explained the methodology.
Out of them, 200, i.e., 10.3 per cent turned out to be IFG and seven, i.e., 0.4 per cent, diabetic.
The study took the WHO norm of between 110-125 mg/dl for pre-diabetes condition and not that of the American Diabetes Association that lowered it to 100.
The study concluded that age, family history (of diabetes), obesity, and hyper tension were positively associated while education, place of residence, and stress were negatively associated for IFG.
Chairman of the research forum E.A. Narayana presided. Principal in-charge of AU College of Pharmaceutical Sciences P. Rajeswara Rao said though the study had limited population, it managed to bring out the affect of changes in lifestyle.
Co-convener of the forum K. Sita Manikyam and convener Girija Sankar participated.
