The doctors around the globe are meeting under the banner of IFSO APC OSSICON 2017, to discuss ‘Diabesity’, a serious and its potential threat to mankind, which has begun in Goa. Over 400 doctors, specialist and physician practicing in the field of obesity and diabetes are participating in this conclave.
Speaking to My Medical Manta, the IFSO APC 2017 president Dr Lilian Kow said “Here we are discussing two major and complex issues; obesity and diabetes. We have many experts here to talk about these complex issues.” She further added, “That is why, the conference theme is ‘Diabesity’.
Speaking about the rising threat Dr Kow said, “Obesity is increasing around the world, and associated with obesity is diabetes. If one person’s weight increases, there is a higher risk of developing diabetes. And that is why diabetes is harder to control as obesity increases.”
The World Health Organization (WHO) fact sheet says, worldwide the epidemic of obesity has more than doubled since 1980. In 2014, more than 1.9 billion adults, 18 years and older, were overweight. Of these over 600 million were obese. 39 per cent of adults aged 18 years and over were overweight in 2014, and 13 per cent were obese.
Worldwide at least 2.8 million people die each year as a result of being overweight or obese, and an estimated 35.8 million (2.3%) of global DALYs are caused by overweight or obesity.
Obesity and diabetes are twin diseases, as they follow each other, and ultimately cause organ failure.
Dr Lilian Kow further stated that, “Around the world, not only in India, but the Asia-pacific region, diabetes in increasing, because obesity is also increasing. Over the next 2 days, we will talk about how to handle obesity and diabetes together, this new concept that if you reduce someone’s weight, diabetes get better. We have seen this in number of patients, whom we have treated around the world. If you reduce their weight, diabetes gets better, and insulin and sugar control also gets better.”