Diabetes has emerged to be one of the biggest concerns globally for the world of health and nutrition.
India is among the top three countries with about 64.5 million people affected by diabetes till last year. Moreover, it has been predicted that diabetes will be the 7th largest killer in the world by 2030. Health experts and nutritionists around the world are working on ways to detect the condition early and treat or reveres its impact.
Diabetes is a group of diseases that result in elevated sugar in the blood (high blood glucose). There are several factors that can trigger the condition. One of the factors is excessive body mass. People who are overweight or have more mass than their BMI have added pressure on their body's ability to use insulin to properly control blood sugar levels, and are therefore more likely to develop diabetes. But according to a latest study conducted by Sir Ganga Ram Hospital along with Motilal Nehru Medical College of Allahabad, people with heavier thighs are less likely to become diabetic.
"This retrospective analysis done on 1,055 patients..at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital from March 2013 to September 2016 has found that bigger the thighs, less are the chances of having diabetes," the hospital said.
Through the study, the researchers were aiming to explore factors that could cut down the cost of investigations and reduce economic burden, it added. The study sample was based on Asian-Indians.
The findings published in a recent edition of the Indian Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism suggests that thigh circumference can play a detrimental role in predicting the risk of diabetes.
The findings said that if your weight is concentrated around your waist and abdomen and your thighs are slim, you are at a greater risk to develop Type 2 diabetes as opposed to having a slimmer waist and slightly heavier thighs.
Diabetes is a major challenge being faced by clinicians worldwide. An estimated 415 million people suffered from the disease worldwide in 2015. A major cause of concern is the fact that almost half of these were undiagnosed.
"Mere diagnosis and treatment of diabetes will prove to be futile and uneconomical, unless we identify those at risk at an early stage. For this, we require simple and inexpensive screening tools that can be used easily, wherever and whenever, as required by clinician," said Dr S.P. Byotra, co-author of the report and Chairman, Department of Medicine, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital.
"We Asian-Indians have larger tummy and thinner thighs and excess abdominal fat, making us more prone to diabetes," said Dr Atul Kakar, co-author and Senior Consultant, Department of Medicine, at the hospital.
Dr Atul Gogia, another co-author and Senior Consultant, Department of Medicine, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, said: "Our study found that diabetics had significantly greater waist circumference than non-diabetics. Also, diabetics had lesser thigh circumference than non-diabetics.
"We found that Waist Thigh Ratio (WTR) of 2.3 as a cut-off point as predictor of diabetes. Simply put, a person having Waist Thigh Ratio (WTR) less than 2.3 will be at low risk of diabetes and may not require further investigation."
Your daily diet and lifestyle habits play an important role in managing and controlling diabetes. Here are five superfoods that can help stabilize your blood sugar levels.
1. Methi Dana: Methi seeds contain fiber and help in slowing the digestion process and thus regulate the absorption of carbohydrates and sugars in the body
2. Bitter Gourd: Bitter gourd contains active substances that lend anti-diabetic properties like charantin which is known for its blood glucose-lowering effect and an insulin-like compound known as polypeptide-p
3. Jamun: Jamun is one of the best super fruits for diabetics. Consumption of jamun is known to improve insulin activity and sensitivity.
4. Guava: Guava may help slow down sugar absorption in your body. It serves as a great mid-meal snack.
5. Turmeric: Turmeric regulates the functions of the pancreas and balances the insulin levels in the body.
Keep these foods handy to control your blood sugar levels and keep a check on the symptoms of diabetes.
(With Inputs IANS)