Thousands reverse pre-diabetes as UAE campaign screens more than 150,000

In October last year, the health authorities in the country had joined hands with private entities for a one-year battle to prevent diabetes occurring in pre-diabetic individuals by conducting mass free screening programmes at workplaces, followed by intervention through lifestyle modification to reduce risk factors for diabetes.

Following a 100-day campaign under the Government Accelerators Programme titled “Show the Red Card to Diabetes”, more than 12,000 residents were screened, achieving more than double the target of 5,000 tests.

After referring thousands of them to various clinics for lifestyle modifications following the 100-day campaign, the UAE health authorities decided to screen 100,000 residents within a year.

The results

Announcing the results of the 365-Day Prediabetes and Diabetes Screening Campaign, Dr Buthaina Bin Belaila, Head of the Non-Communicable Diseases and Mental Health Department at MoHAP, said the campaign surpassed its target and screened 150,624 individuals.

“Among the people with high risks screened, one-third were having abnormal blood glucose levels and they were unaware of it and more than one fourth were pre-diabetic,” she said.

A breakdown of the figures showed 27.3 per cent with pre-diabetes and 6.5 per cent with diabetes while 66.2 per cent had normal glucose levels.

That means more than 41,120 participants were found to be pre-diabetic.

Those aged between 36 and 60 years formed 67 per cent of pre-diabetic patients. An alarming 24 per cent of people in the age category of 18 to 35 years were also pre-diabetic while only six per cent of those aged more than 60 years were pre-diabetic.

Gender-wise, 50.5 per cent of the pre-diabetic patients were male participants and 49.5 per cent were female.

Obesity was found to be a major cause of pre-diabetes in 36 per cent of the pre-diabetics. However, officials pointed out that majority not pointed out that 66 per cent not being obese indicates that even those who appear physically fit could be at risk.

After a three- month follow up, 37.1 per pare-diabetic cent reverted to normal blood sugar levels and after a six-month follow up that went up to 37.5 per cent.

That means around 15420 pre-diabetic patients managed to reverse their condition and prevented themselves from advancing to the level of a diabetic patient.

Catch them young

Dr Buthaina said the ministry would continue the campaign. “We want to sustain it for one year, and we are working at strategic level. So, our plan is that all health entities will adopt this programme into their programmes. As we said in the recommendation, this programme now should continue through the healthcare facilities. It [screening] should be there for everybody and above attending the clinic, to have the service, so it will be sustained through all healthcare facilities.”

With nearly 10,000 young participants becoming pre-diabetic, she said individuals aged between 18 to 35 years must also be screened in collaboration with universities and other institutions.

Sarrah Barakat, government and public affairs and communications director, Gulf Cluster, Merck Gulf, the main private partner of the campaign, the company aims to reach out to half a million people by next year.

She said the company will continue to provide haemoglobin A1C (HbA1C) test for free to participants found to be at high risk of becoming pre-diabetic.

This test measures the average blood sugar level over the past three months. An A1C below 5.7 per cent is normal, between 5.7 and 6.4 per cent indicates you have prediabetes, and 6.5 per cent or higher indicates you have diabetes, according to the CDC.

Factors such as family history of diabetes, obesity, sedentary lifestyle etc are considered high risks for prediabetes.

“If your risk factor score is above five, you will have an automatic blood test free of charge,” said Sarrah.

“People can reach out through the campaign’s toll free number (800DIABEAT) for getting the free tests done,” she said.

According to her, several university students have already been tested during the campaign. Screening students with high risks is a priority.

“Now, many people walk around for seven years, on an average, not knowing they are pre-diabetic or diabetic. By then it is too late. We need to catch them really early on and empower them to make decisions about their life and their future.”

Dr Amin Hussein Al Amiri, Assistant Undersecretary for the Health Regulation Sector, MoHAP, said the campaign’s success is more than just a milestone. “It is a clear reaffirmation to our commitment to the health and wellbeing of our community highlighting our proactive and determined approach to addressing health challenges.”

Diabetes data

According to the latest National Health Survey conducted in 2018, 11.81 per cent of the UAE’s population is diabetic. The same survey also found that the prevalence of prediabetes in the country is 11.7 per cent of the population.

Prediabetes is a serious health condition where blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not high enough yet to be diagnosed as type 2 diabetes. Prediabetes puts you at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. According to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 80 per cent of patients do not know they have it.

Special shows

Senior officials from the Government Accelerators Programme and various local health authorities also spoke during the glittering ceremony.

The event included several activities celebrating the success of the campaign such as lighting the iconic Dubai Frame in blue, and captivating laser and drone shows. In addition, MoHAP showcased its strategic partners from both the public and private sectors for their vital contributions to the campaign’s success. A detailed presentation on the campaign’s progress and results provided further insight into the collaborative public health drive.