Dr. Mahmoud A. Zirie is a Senior Consultant and Head of the Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism Department of Medicine at Hamad Medical Corporation
Doha, Qatar: As the world observes World Diabetes Day today, November 14, statistics revealed an increase in diabetes cases in Qatar. Dr. Mahmoud A. Zirie, Senior Consultant and Head of the Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism Department of Medicine at Hamad Medical Corporation, explained the factors contributing to this surge.
Latest data from Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar said that “Qatar faces a significant burden of diabetes, with a projected increase in prevalence from 17.8% (37,179 persons) in 2023 to 29.5% (84,516 persons) by 2050 among adult Qataris aged 20-79 years.”
Dr. Zirie stressed that over 50% of Type 2 diabetes cases in Qatar stem from obesity and overweight issues, exacerbated by the ready availability of food and food delivery services. “There are also other factors that contribute, like family history, genetics, and those with hypertension, high-blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, in addition for ladies [where] risk factors like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and gestational diabetes – all these contribute as risk factors for incidence in this country and in general, all over the world,” he told The Peninsula.
He noted the importance of prevention for those at risk and offers straightforward advice. Dr. Zirie said preventing diabetes is achievable through a healthy lifestyle, opting for healthy food choices, incorporating regular exercise like walking for at least 150 minutes per week, and maintaining an overall healthy lifestyle can reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes by up to 60%.
“Prevention for people at risk in developing diabetes is easy to be done and it is mainly through healthy lifestyle. Healthy lifestyle means you have to have healthy food choices, and really healthy food choices are within the reach with most of us – it is just the food we eat, only to select kinds that are healthy with less sugar and carbohydrates and fats – that’s one thing.”
“In addition to healthy lifestyle and food, we have a lot of medications, tablets, injections, insulin and non-insulin, we have a lot and all these are available in Qatar.”
For those seeking medication assistance, Dr. Zirie mentioned Glucofast metformin as a mild option that can be used to prevent the progression of Type 2 diabetes. When it comes to dietary recommendations, he suggested distributing daily calorie intake between 1,500 to 2,000 calories, with approximately 45% from carbohydrates, 30% from fats, and 20% from protein. Notably, Dr. Zirie recommended to add vegetables and fruits to one’s eating plan; fruits like apples, oranges, and grapefruits, he said are “good types of fruits.”
Addressing the question of fasting, Dr. Zirie acknowledged its potential for weight loss and indirectly protecting those at risk of diabetes. He advised that losing as little as 7% of body weight over six months can provide significant protection.
Discussing primary risk factors for diabetes onset, Dr. Zirie underscored that Type 2 diabetes can occur at any age, with weight being the predominant risk factor. Other risk factors include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, kidney disease, PCOS, and gestational diabetes.
“Type 2 diabetes can happen at any age, it used to be for adults 20 years or above, now it can happen to ages 13,14, and 15, and again the main risk factor is the weight - overweight and obesity,” he stressed.
“So everybody can look at himself – is he overweight, does he aims to lose 7% of his weight in the coming three to six months and see if he has sedentary lifestyle – he can start exercising, not very strenuous exercise, he can do brisk walking for 150 minutes per week, half an hour everyday is good enough. Lose weight, and exercise, eat healthy food choices – these are the points that you can protect yourself from developing Type 2 diabetes.”
When it comes to diabetes management, Dr. Zirie highlighted the importance of metabolic control, stressing the need for good blood pressure and cholesterol control, along with lifestyle modifications. “At the start of diabetes, there is a good chance to have a very good metabolic control, cause the pancreas are relatively there and functioning, so it’s easier to control diabetes.”
“We have a lot of choices to have a good metabolic control for the diabetes, and we must also not forget that it’s not only glycemic control – we have to have good blood pressure control, good cholesterol control and to stop smoking or avoid smoking as much as we can.”
With the World Diabetes Day theme “Know your risk, Know your response,” Dr. Zirie said: “the theme for this year is how to protect ourselves – we have to know our risks, if we don’t know the risks, we can’t protect ourselves.”
In his closing message, Dr. Zirie reiterated the adage “Protection is better than cure.” He said one should know his risks, communicate with his healthcare team, and take proactive steps to prevent diabetes. Whether you’re diabetic or at risk, prioritise metabolic control, healthy lifestyle choices, and adherence to prescribed medications, he asserted
“Protection is really better than cure, protecting yourself from becoming diabetic is much better than to wait until diabetes is there and you start treatment. Protection is better than cure.”
