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Diabetes in South Asians

South Asians are 6 times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes South Asians are 6 times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is growing problem for people from South Asia.

The chance of developing type 2 diabetes is 6 times higher in South Asians than in Europeans.[1]

The South Asian community refers to people whose origin is:

  • Afghanistan
  • Bangladesh
  • Bhutan
  • India
  • the Maldives
  • Nepal
  • Pakistan
  • Sri Lanka

Type 2 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is a long term health condition that is characterised by high levels of glucose in the blood. Common symptoms of diabetes include continual tiredness, increased need to go to the toilet to urinate, thirst, blurred vision and dry eyes.

Type 2 diabetes can take a number of years to develop and can damage the body, particularly if it is not diagnosed early enough.

The condition is often, but not always, associated with being overweight.

Diabetes risk factors

As well as having a South Asian background, there are others factors, which can make diabetes more likely to appear.

These risk factors include:

Should I be tested for type 2 diabetes?

If you are overweight and have one or more of the risk factors above, it is worth getting checked to see if you have either diabetes or prediabetes.

You can be tested for type 2 diabetes by your GP and a number of high street pharmacies now offer testing and evaluation services to test your risk.

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How dangerous is diabetes?

Diabetes is a serious condition. If undiagnosed or not well controlled, the risks of having heart disease, kidney disease or eye damage are greatly increased.

On the plus side, diabetes is an illness that can be managed. With a good diet, regular activity and, if needed, medication people can live healthily. Some people even report that their diabetes diagnosis has been a much needed welcome call and helped them to get their lives back on track.

I don’t have diabetes, what can I do to prevent it?

Diabetes can be either prevented or delayed, for as much as decades, by making and sticking to some basic lifestyle changes.

  • Aim to be physically active each day - read tips on keeping active
  • Keep your diet relatively free from high calorie and processed foods
  • If overweight, choose smaller portions of fatty and carbohydrate heavy foods
  • Avoid smoking and cut down on any alcohol

Healthy eating

Type 2 diabetes is believed to be partly brought on by diet. Certainly not everyone with type 2 diabetes is overweight, however, about 85 to 90% are.

Healthy eating is therefore a key factor for reducing the risk of diabetes and for managing diabetes for those who have it.

I have diabetes, how can I control it?

A lot of people with diabetes find the illness to be very confusing, particularly in the early stages.

Understanding what diabetes is and how exactly it affects us in the way it does is a great first step in helping to get the condition under control.

With an understanding of the condition and how it affects you, you’re in a good position to make the lifestyle changes needed.

Much of the same advice for preventing diabetes can be applied for those who have diabetes, particularly if you are overweight or struggling with cholesterol levels.

Treatment and blood glucose testing

Depending on how high your blood sugar levels are, you may be put onto medication. The guidelines given to the NHS by NICE (The National Institute of Clinical Excellence) recommend people with type 2 diabetes are given education to help them manage their condition. Particularly if medication is being prescribed, access to blood glucose supplies should be made available to go with the education.

Blood glucose testing supplies are relatively expensive and some GPs may be reluctant to prescribe the supplies. If you are in this position, read our guide on test strip availability to see how you may be able to persuade your GP to prescribe these supplies.

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