Trinidad and Tobago has lost 1,368 people against Covid-19 to date, a figure that could have been much lower if we were a healthier society.
This is the opinion of the president of the Diabetes Association of Trinidad and Tobago, Andrew Dhanoo, who says that the Covid-19 pandemic has revealed the epidemic of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) that is already occurring. at T&T.
Dhanoo’s comments come as the Caribbean marks Wellness Week 2021 (which began yesterday and ends on Friday), an initiative aimed at promoting healthy lifestyles and combating NCDs.
Speaking to the Sunday Express yesterday, Dhanoo noted that there is evidence around the world that people with MNT are more vulnerable to the severe effects of Covid-19 and death.
He said most people who have succumbed to Covid-19 in T&T had at least one MNT.
Daily updates from the Ministry of Health also indicate the deaths of patients as “with comorbidities” or “without comorbidities”.
Last month, of the 214 deaths recorded by Covid-19, 191 had comorbidities.
Between September 1 and September 11, 68 people died from the virus. Sixty-six of them had comorbidities.
And last week, medical director Roshan Parasram noted that 48.4% of isolates in the home with Covid-19 have comorbidities, with diabetes and hypertension making up the largest proportion of comorbidities found in these. patients.
Dhanoo said that if the country had better control of the MNT epidemic, it is possible that the deaths from Covid-19 would have been lower.
He said that the latest official figures from 2020 place T&T at a 15% prevalence rate for people living with diabetes (about 200,000 people), while other local studies have suggested that between 20 and 25 more can have prediabetes.
“We’ve also seen the surprising trend of more children developing type 2 diabetes, formerly known as adult-onset diabetes, as we know that more than one in three of our school-age children are overweight or obesity “.
Dhanoo blames the problem on the immediate availability of unhealthy foods and lack of exercise.
“We just have too many affordable, convenient, high-calorie foods at our disposal and we don’t have enough opportunities to expend that excess energy we consume,” he said.
“These items have also become very comfortable, which can be stopped on any street in any city or T&T city, take a walk and is guaranteed the chance to see at least one fast food restaurant … Now we have an environment obesogenic, leading to increased waistline and NCDs that develop as a result ”.
Dhanoo worries that T&T will emerge from the pandemic and an even unhealthier society.
“The Covid-19 pandemic has given our lives to the railway and we will still see its effects in many years. I fear that one of the consequences of having fewer opportunities to exercise and more to consume food at home may add fuel to the MNT epidemic, ”he said.
“At the moment, the fire that needs to be put out is Covid-19, but we need to prepare to increase the incidence of diabetes and its complications in the near future.
“We need to plan for the full reopening of society from now on. How can we make families more active? How can we give people a better chance to eat healthier? How can we work with people at higher risk? All of these these are strategies that we must develop now before it is too late ”.
He said there should also be a push to increase sustainable agricultural production in T&T, as the price of fresh and healthy food is usually very high.
“This, along with educational campaigns that start in childhood, can change the relationship of our population to food and physical activity.”
Dhanoo urged diabetics to make sure they are cared for, monitor what they eat, stay active and vaccinated.
“We want to encourage all people with diabetes and other noncommunicable diseases to take the Covid-19 vaccine, if they have not already done so.
“We’re good at the pandemic to know that the vaccine can save your life, and it will allow us all to do the things we love again,” he said.
Too much sugar, salt and fat
Laura Roberts-Hall, president of the Association of Nutritionists and Dietitians of Trinidad and Tobago (TTANDi), said she believes gyms and outdoor activities restricted for quite some time during the pandemic will have a negative impact on the pandemic. general health of the population.
But he said people shouldn’t use it as an excuse not to exercise, as there are many other ways a person can stay active, including online fitness classes, YouTube videos or doing exercise in the garden or in the living room.
She also lamented the preponderance of fast food and processed snacks at T&T.
He said these industries have a role to play in the fight against NTMs.
“These industries can do their part reformulating some products when possible to include less sugar, salt and added fats. In addition, these industries may introduce warning labels in front of the package on their products.
“Most of the time, consumers are unaware of what the foods they eat contain and how excessive amounts can be harmful to their health,” he told Sunday Express.
“The warning labels on the front of the package will help consumers quickly identify what the foods they eat contain and help them make an informed decision about what to put on their body.”
He answered the claims that it is expensive to eat healthy and said that even people who suffer from loss of income as a result of the pandemic can get the most out of their food budget.
“There’s a misconception that buying fast food is more affordable than preparing healthy food,” he said.
“When you do the calculations, preparing meals not only costs less, but you get several portions.
“A home – cooked lunch can easily feed at least four people for lunch, with leftovers for dinner or the next day.
“Healthy eating on a budget is not impossible. However, it requires planning and preparation. “
He suggested replacing meat with peas and beans as a source of protein, drinking water instead of sweetened drinks, and making wholemeal bread at home instead of having bread bought in the store.
In addition, he encouraged making snacks at home instead of buying packaged and processed snacks and buying local vegetables cheaper than those imported abroad.
He advised people with MNT to protect themselves from Covid-19 by maintaining a healthy eating pattern, exercising regularly, taking medication prescribed by their doctor, and following Ministry of Health guidelines.