Doha: Qatar Diabetes Association (QDA) will be hosting an international diabetes seminar in April 2011 to discuss diabetes and its associated dangers.
The seminar will be held in collaboration with QDA, Harvard Medical School, American Association of Clinical Endocrinologist and GlaxoSmithKline and Hamad Medical Hospital, it was announced on Sunday.
More than 150 physicians, doctors and nurses from governmental and private medical organisations in Qatar attended the First International Diabetes Course, which discussed diabetes, its complications, treatments and the latest methods of diabetes management, the daily Arabic Al Sharq reported.
Qatar at risk
Dr Abdulla Al Hamaq, executive director of Qatar Diabetes Association, said that this is the first time the course has been done outside of the United States and Qatar has been chosen as the venue because of the prevalence of diabetes cases in the country.
An estimated 16 per cent of the population in Qatar have diabetes.
Obesity Clinical Programme Medical Director and Assistant Professor (Medicine) of Harvard Medical School, Dr Osama Hamdy explained that diabetes is becoming a global problem as the number of cases grew.
"According to a study done by the American Diabetes Association, diabetes disease is expected to rise by an average of 105 per cent in the Middle East by 2025," Dr Hamdy said.
Causes of diabetes
Dr Hamdy explained that there are a number of reasons for the high prevalence of diabetes in the region, the main one being obesity and its related complications along with lack of exercise.
In addition to this, there are genetic reasons to why people in the Gulf area are more likely to suffer from diabetes.
"Obesity or being overweight combined with lack of activity and exercise, along with poor nutrition are the major contributory factors to high levels of people suffering from diabetes," Dr Hamdy added.
Preventing diabetes
Living a healthy life by maintaining a healthy weight, a healthy food regime and increasing the levels of exercise can help reduce the risk of having diabetes in the future.
"Education about nutrition and healthy lifestyle must be introduced in schools... parental awareness and parents being good role models for their children are also important factors to reducing the risks of having diabetes throughout the world," Hamdy said.