UNIVERSITY OF Valencia’s Mercedes Sotos Prieto, who conducted the study on 945 men and women aged between 55 and 80 years with a high cardiovascular risk, surprisingly found that fish consumption lowered the diabetes risk. According to the University statement, fish has health benefits for the heart and various hypothess have been put forward to explain the relation between the consumption of fish and diabetes. One of the explanations, the increase of Omega-3 cells of the skeletal muscles improves Insulin sensitivity, a factor closely associated with lowered risk of diabetes.

The timing of the study coincided with the World Diabetes Day, when a record number of 3573 people were screened for blood glucose levels in IT hub Bangalore on Sunday. It was a new Guinness World Record for "most blood glucose level tests conducted within eight hours", achieved at a diabetes screening camp organized by Novo Nordisk India Private Limited in partnership with The Times of India.

While the deadly disease has affected 346 million people worldwide, one – fifth of diabetics come from India. A metropolis study conducted in five major Indian cities shows that Mumbai has more diabetes patients in the age-group of 18-30. Dr Jatinder Bhatia, chief of lab services, projects, North India, Metropolis Healthcare Ltd, told DNA newspaper: “We conducted a pan-India survey that indicates that there is a high incidence of diabetes in the age group of 18-30 in Mumbai as compared to other cities.” A total of 28,79,175 people were screened from Mumbai, Pune, Noida, Chennai and Bangalore.

This unhealthy trend of young people falling to the deadly disease is believed to be a direct result of over-eating, junk foods, sedentary lifestyles and the burgeoning stress levels. While the day was celebrated across the country to raise public awareness about the harmful effects of the disease, very few people, although aware, seek medical intervention. The cruel fact that it is a progressive disorder makes it very important to go for the treatment at the earliest. Seeking timely medical advice is need of the hour, otherwise we are going to lose many more precious lives to this killer disease in the future.