Nothing sweet about sugar - Senior living with diabetes warns Jamaicans about their lifestyles

It has been 22 years since retired health worker Maureen Wredding was diagnosed with diabetes, and the 66-year-old said she has been living a fairly healthy life.

With statistics showing that more young persons are battling the non-communicable disease, Wredding said she is imploring persons to be mindful of their lifestyle.

"Try and stay away from the sweets and do not eat yourself to temptation. A lot of times, I see people eating a bun and a soda and that's just too much sweets. We need to avoid the bad starch and just take care of ourselves. Do not allow diabetes or any disease to control your life," she said.

Wredding was one of more than 100 persons who turned out on Thursday at the Master of Public Health 2024/2025 Cohort Diabetes Health Fair held at the Kingston Public Hospital (KPH). Yesterday was also observed as World Diabetes Day, under the theme 'Access to Diabetes Care'. Wredding said she knew that something was wrong with her medically when she began having dryness of mouth and decided to seek medical attention.

"I was working with the Ministry of Health, so I knew about the symptoms of diabetes. So, one morning, I went to work and just told the nurse to give me a paper to get tested. When the reading came back that I was diabetic, I just did what I know needed to be done," she said. However, she said the disease didn't change anything in her life, as she learnt to accept it.

"What I do is take my medication every day and try to eat a balanced diet as much as possible," Wredding added.

Diabetes is a chronic health condition that occurs when the body cannot effectively regulate blood sugar levels. There are two main types of diabetes: type 1 and type 2. The latter develops when the body becomes resistant to the effects of insulin or when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin. This is often associated with lifestyle factors such as obesity, a poor diet, and a lack of physical activity.

According to the World Health Organization, approximately 422 million people globally have diabetes, the majority being from low- and middle-income countries such as Jamaica, while 1.6 million deaths are directly attributed to the disease. Acting senior medical officer at the KPH, Dr Hugh Wong, said the prevalence of diabetes in juveniles and younger adults is noticeable.

"We are seeing younger people with diabetes and our population is also suffering from hypertension, and that combination in younger ages can lead to renal disease, heart disease, and premature deaths. It is really a crisis," he said.

Wong stated that he is encouraging persons with diabetes to eat healthier, visit the doctor for regular check-ups, and follow the treatment plan prescribed.

"If we exercise and we diet, we can actually prevent or slow down the concept of diabetes. We need to count our calories, and, unfortunately, unhealthy foods are cheaper. So everything is intertwined," he said.