Intestinal enzyme deficiency leads to diabetes: Study
Deficiency of intestinal enzyme, Alkaline Phosphatase, is one of the leading causes of developing diabetes among people, according to a study revealed in Dhaka on Wednesday.
The study was published in the British Medical Journal recently and it (study) was revealed at a conference held at Birdem General Hospital.
Prof Dr AK Azad, President of Diabetic Association of Bangladesh (DAB), told BSS that, "Two factors -- genetic and unhealthy lifestyle -- are directly linked to developing diabetes among the people." The study found that unhealthy lifestyle is responsible for deficiency of intestinal enzyme named Alkaline Phosphatase, which causes diabetes, he added.
Diabetic Association of Bangladesh (DAB) coordinated the study led by Dr Madhu S Malo, a former faculty at Harvard Medical School in USA, and an advisor to the Diabetic Association.
Bangladesh Medical and Research Council and the ministry of education funded the study.
A team of researchers from multiple local and foreign universities revealed the cause through a five-year investigation on 674 non-diabetic people, aged 30-60.
As per the study, people with the Alkaline Phosphatese deficiency have 13.8 times higher risk of developing diabetes than those who do not, Madhu S Malo
said.
The researchers have also developed a home-based mechanism to test the deficiency of the enzyme.
"Diabetes is one of the most prevalent non-communicable diseases globally.... the number of people with diabetes is increasing rapidly in Bangladesh," Dr AK Azad said.
Poor lifestyle is largely responsible for the rising cases of diabetes in the country; he said adding, unhealthy lifestyles include inadequate physical activity and fast food-dependent food habit.
"Roughly 85 lakh people are suffering from diabetes disease in the country. Of them, proportion of type-1 diabetes is five percent while 95 percent people are suffering from type-2 diabetes," Prof Azad added.
Explaining the nature of diabetes disease, he said most of the people are being affected by type-2 diabetes due to lack of awareness and insufficient knowledge on nutritious food.
The health expert said many factors including everyday lifestyle and genetic factors are associated with diabetes disease. "We can prevent 75 percent diabetes, if the people follow healthy living method... 25 percent patients could control this non-communicable disease through maintaining health rules."
Source: BSS
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