Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 18, Number 9, 1 September 2001 — OLAKINO [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

OLAKINO

[?]

Today's food choices are root of diabetes, medical challenges

By Claire Hughes Department of Health Big news on diabetes broke in the media and heakh information systems this month, telling us that diabetes is a growing

health problem across the

United $tates. A large-scale

study reveals that diet and exercise ean dramatically reduce or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes, the most eommon form of diabetes. Study participants who followed an intensive lifestyle change method |

regimen reduced by nearly 60 percent their risk of getting type 2 diabetes and lost five to seven percent of their body weight.

Nearly 16 million Amencans, or about 6 percent of the population, have diabetes. About 5 million of these have not yet been diagnosed. Additionally, an estimated 10 million Americans are at high risk of developing diabetes. They ean sharply lower their chances of getting the disease with diet and exercise. Early diagnosis helps to avoid the complications of diabetes, whieh include: heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, blindness, kidney disease, complications of pregnancy, nervous system disease and amputations.

In Hawai'i, the Japanese population has the highest proportion (7.2 percent) of diabetics; Hawaiians are next (6.5 percent), followed by Chinese (6.1 percent)

and Filipinos (5.4 percent).

Ordering a burger, fries and beer may seem like a great idea, but the high sugar content in many favorite foods today ls taking its toll on Hawaiians, who have the highest diabetes-related mortality rate in the islands. Compo$ite by Miehael McDonald. Caucasians have the lowest prevalenee for diabetes (3.2 percent). However, Hawaiians have the greatest number of deaths caused by diabetes every year. Diabetes has been a scourge for Hawaiians for the last hundred

years. That has to change, and we ean make this change. The Hawaiian person with diabetes needs good medical help. Knowing that we ean prevent it with diet and exercise is critical for our

children, our brothers and sisters who don't yet have it.

The traditional Hawaiian diet programs — the Moloka'i, Wai'anae,

and 'Ai Pono eommunity programs — have demonstrated, for nearly 20 years, that the traditional Hawaiian foods and style of cooking ean

make a huge differ-

enee. These foods are high in fiber, they are

fresh. and the steamine and bak-

ing process for Hawaiian cooking is protective against diabetes. The traditional Hawaiian beverage was water, water, water. The food choices that Americans, including Hawaiians, are making today are at the root of major medieal challenges. Scientists have identified soft drinks (soda) as a huge and growing problem, leading to overweight, obesity and, in many cases, diabetes. People are now drinking soda at breakfast, luneh and dinner. There are nearly 10 teaspoons of sugar in a 12 ounee eup of soda and one and a quarter eup of sugar in the 64 ounee serving. In

Hawai'i, we have canned juice drinks and syrup drinks that are equally harmful. Beer and wine are also high in sugar. Fatty foods, such as mayonnaise, French fries and canned meats, cause greater damage to the hearts and eyes of a person with diabetes. Of course, the frequency and quantity of these poor choices also contribute to the problem. The scientific research that the news stories report on, suggests starting with a 30-minute exercise program — walking would do just fine — and gradually working towards slightly higher intensity. No marathons, nothing strenuous. When the 'Ai Pono community programs incorporated walking, participants noticed many benefits, including an overall feeling of wellbeing. ■

'Ai a manō, 'a'ohe nānā i kumu pali " When the shark eats, he never troubles to look toward the foot of the cliff." This 'ōlelo no'eau (proverb) refers to a person who eats voraciously with no thought of who provided the food, shows no appreciation for what has been done for him, nor has a care about tomorrow. ■