Professor: Ethnicity linked to diabetes

As World Diabetes Day is observed today, Paul Teelucksingh, professor of medicine at the University of the West Indies, has said special attention needs to be paid to ethnicity and its connection with diabetes.

Teelucksingh was speaking this morning at the launch of Tatil and Tail Life Insurance’s diabetes campaign, Diabetes – A Family Concern."The event took place at the company’s head office on Maraval Road, Port of Spain.

He said ethnicity should not be taken lightly as it is a concerning contributing factor to this non-communicable disease.

"Different ethnic groups have different thresholds for revealing diseases. Indian and Chinese people are at greater risk.

"They have the lowest threshold for being obese and declaring diseases like diabetes and heart disease. They are followed by Africans and then Caucasians."

The Ministry of Health has said non-communicable diseases account for over 60 per cent of deaths annually, of which 40 per cent are preventable.

Tatil has launched a five-year campaign to tackle the fight against diabetes and has embarked on series of initiatives to promote lifestyle changes.

World Diabetes Day is observed on November 14 and this year’s theme is Family and Diabetes.