11 Nov 2010
Does it matter “where you like it"?
Some of you may have seen the breast cancer awareness campaign that went viral on Facebook.
Women were asked to update their status with a sexually suggestive line of “I like it in the kitchen” or in other areas at home, which turned out to actually be their favourite spots to place their handbags.
Some may have been offended, feeling that the innuendo-laden status updates tarnished the cause.
The most pertinent issue remains in doubt: Did it actually make an impact on breast cancer screening rates, or donations to cancer research?
Come Nov 14, I hope we won't waste a similar opportunity.
It is World Diabetes Day and the campaign slogan for this year is: Let's take control of diabetes. Now.
Diabetes Education and Prevention is the World Diabetes Day theme from 2009 to 2013.
The date of Nov 14 was selected to mark the birthday of Frederick Banting who, along with Charles Best, first conceived the ideas which led to the discovery of how to extract insulin in 1922 to treat diabetes.
Insulin is a hormone produced by the body to control blood sugar levels.
Awareness campaigns are a dime a dozen now, ribbons everywhere you turn: pink (breast cancer), red (Aids)... the list goes on.
For diabetes, it is a blue circle. The circle symbolises life and health. Blue reflects the sky that unites all nations and is the colour of the United Nations flag. The blue circle signifies the unity of the global diabetes community in response to the diabetes pandemic.
So World Diabetes Day is a good time for a reality check.
The GE Better Health Study had some interesting statistics: 71 per cent of respondents in America said they have a plan for living healthily and nine of 10 said eating healthily and exercising are part of their healthy living plan.
A third gave themselves an “A” grade on specific daily health activities, like exercise, eating healthy and managing stress. Yet less than half actually knew their current cholesterol levels, only a third knew their daily caloric intake, and just 29 per cent knew their blood sugar level.
More people knew when to change the oil in their car than their current cholesterol value.
We are not that much better off in Singapore. A study involving more than 800 patients with diabetes and their doctors, in both hospitals as well as family physician clinics and polyclinics, showed a startling chasm between perception and reality.
Two thirds of the doctors thought that 40 to 80 per cent of patients were “on target” for diabetes control. More than three in four of the patients thought that they themselves were doing well in terms of diabetes control. In reality, less than 40 per cent had reached their target.
And then there is that little problem of the gap between being aware and actually taking action. So how should we build awareness and bring about change?
It might help to have role models. After all, patients might prefer to hear from another patient rather than a health-care provider.
The international diabetes movement has many supporters, celebrities and otherwise. Halle Berry, Randy Jackson, Nick Jonas.
Not forgetting Nicole Johnson, Miss America 1999, who is a fervent diabetes advocate. I used to tell my teenage and young adult patients about Elliot Yamin and Crystal Bowersox: If they can live with diabetes and sing to win American Idol, surely you can do a bit more?
“Aiyah," chimed my patients, “All these people are rich and famous what. They can afford any medicine they need, they can hire chefs and personal trainers, they don't eat at hawker centres and work 12-hour shifts like us."
So we went on a hunt for real-life ordinary folk and found five remarkable people in our diabetes centre last year.
One was a young man who has had type 1 diabetes since the age of 11, and was not content to just master insulin injections and lead a “normal” life. He has gone on to climb MtKinabalu twice, has completed a three-day 100km hike and trek and is planning to tackle a triathlon.
Another winner is an inspiring retiree who was determined to reverse her diabetes. She cycles twice a week, practices taiji and plays table-tennis – at the age of 75.
What do our five diabetes champions have in common? I believe it is in the self- ownership of their situation – what we term “empowerment”.
They learnt to be responsible for their medications, they learnt to read nutrition labels and count carbohydrates, they learnt to incorporate exercise and healthy living into their daily routines.
I believe their everyday lives will be compelling examples to the people around them, of taking control of diabetes now, more powerful than any viral marketing campaign.
And that's where we like it.
Dr Goh Su-Yen is the director of the diabetes clinical services and a consultant in the department of endocrinology at the Singapore General Hospital.
“A young man who has had type 1 diabetes since the age of 11... has gone on to climb Mt Kinabalu twice and is planning to tackle a triathlon.
Click here for jpeg format
Dept Of Dietetics & Nutrition Services
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