The survey of 404 diabetics aged 20 and above, commissioned by Abbott Nutrition, took place from August to September.
It sought to find out how diabetics in Singapore used diet as part of their treatment regimen, focusing on their breakfast habits.
The results showed that 81 per cent of the diabetic patients surveyed relied solely on medication to deal with their condition.
Only close to 3 per cent adopted a holistic approach to treating their condition. This included exercise, having a healthy diet and taking medication regularly. About 14 per cent said that they depended on diet alone while nearly 2 per cent used both diet and exercise. The rest of the respondents cited exercise alone or had no treatment at all.
"Controlling the condition is difficult. It does not involve just popping pills, but also modifying one's lifestyle," said Dr Kevin Tan, a consultant endocrinologist at Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre. He is vice-president of the Diabetic Society of Singapore.
Dr Tan said: "Those who don't make changes or do not succeed in making changes to their lifestyle will fare poorly in the control of their condition if they are dependent only on medication."
He added that lifestyle modifications include having a healthier diet, weight reduction if the patient is overweight and regular exercise.
The survey also found that although 93 per cent of respondents were aware of the importance of having breakfast, close to 15 per cent were clueless about what makes a healthy breakfast for diabetics.
"A lot of emphasis is placed on eating less sugar and carbohydrates and eating more fibre," said Dr Tan. "What is important is having a balanced diet which requires an adequate representation of proteins and certain amounts of good fats."
Miss Alefia Vasanwala, a dietitian at Mount Elizabeth Hospital, said that breakfast is important so that patients will not have low blood sugar levels later in the morning. It will also prevent them from overeating at lunch which will increase their blood sugar levels.
She said that an example of an ideal breakfast for diabetics would be one that comprises wholegrain carbohydrates like oats or wholewheat toast with egg whites or cottage cheese.
In Singapore, diabetes affects about one in 11 people aged between 18 and 69, the Diabetic Society of Singapore said. Dr Tan said diabetes is among the top 10 common causes of mortality here. If not properly managed, it can lead to blindness and kidney failure.
This article was first published in Mind Your Body, The Straits Times.
source: health.asiaone
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