Terry Halifax
Northern News Services

Inuvik (Nov 01/02) - Inactive lifestyles and bad eating habits are causing an outbreak of diabetes of epidemic proportions across the country.

Sue Clarkson, diabetes educator with Inuvik Health and Social Services, will be touring the Delta during Diabetes Month (November) to raise awareness to the growing incidence of diabetes in Canada. - NNSL photo

Sue Clarkson, diabetes educator with Inuvik Health and Social Services, just returned from the Canadian Diabetes Association's national seminar.

Clarkson said some of the things that came out of the conference is a national concern over an obese, inactive population and the growing number of diabetics in Canada.

"The Minister of Health was there and she talked about obesity being a national priority," Clarkson said. "We're going to see federal dollars to support people to make healthy lifestyle choices."

Eating habits have changed dramatically in recent years and people are eating more processed and fatty foods that lack in nutrition.

"We're eating more, we're getting fatter and we're moving less and that includes our children," she said. "We love food and we enjoy it, but it also gives us energy and what do we do with that energy? We're sitting in front of the TV or playing on the computer or playing with the Game Boy."

Some people are at higher risk than others, with genetics being the strongest tie to the disease. If either parent has diabetes the child is always at greater risk.

"People who are over-weight and inactive are also at higher risk," Clarkson said. "Aboriginal people are at a three to five times higher risk for developing diabetes than are other people."

African and Asian people are also at high risk, as well as people who are under a lot of daily stress.

Since diabetes is not a reportable disease, no one knows how many diabetics there are, but for every one diagnosed, Clarkson said there is at least one more who isn't.

Symptoms can vary from severe strokes to no noticeable change in health, but Clarkson said a simple blood test can quickly determine blood sugar content.

If a person is diagnosed, lifestyle changes are in order, but Clarkson said that people can still live very well by making healthy choices.

The goal is to keep blood sugar levels under control, but if left unchecked, diabetes can kill and maim.

With treatment through diet and exercise, often medicinal treatment can be avoided. The patient and physician try to match the energy that comes in, with the energy expended through monitoring diet and exercise.

"If we can't do that, then we look to medication," she said.

Medication can be with insulin pills or shots, depending on the individual.

Clarkson offers one-day workshops on how to deal with diabetes and how they can take control of their own treatment.

"We talk about all the things you need to know about what's going on inside your body, but also about making choices," Clarkson said. She describes the choices for treatment as two roads: a healthy road and one guaranteed to lead to complications.

"If you choose to take the other road, it's not guess work -- we know that you're at higher risk for heart attack, stroke, kidney disease, amputations and blindness."