HOW TO TELL IF WE’RE WINNING THE WAR

It’s been eight years since the war on diabetes was launched, and while Singapore has made some progress, experts warn it may take longer before its impact can be fully assessed as a long-term success.

“Effects for chronic disease prevention initiatives will always take decades before expected effects and trends can be analyzed,” said Professor Ang.

Dr Tan, a diabetes consultant who is also the past president of Diabetes Singapore, added: “Knowing how difficult a global enemy diabetes is and its inexorable growth in recent decades, the war will not be won for good.”

He noted that the War on Diabetes will never have quick results, but that it was necessary and has already brought about positive changes.

“We’ve seen changes in people’s habits, consumer buying patterns, industry acceptance and improved disease outcomes,” he said.

Furthermore, Prof Teo said that since diabetes is a chronic condition, it can be difficult to determine the success of the number of people with diabetes, as this number will always increase with the aging population.

“Diabetes is a long-term disease, so it is very difficult to attribute some of these policy changes as the reason why diabetes rates, such as the prevalence rate, have remained stable or decreased,” Prof Teo said.

Instead, Prof Teo suggested a more holistic measure of success.

This includes consumption patterns and how the F&B industry has responded to these measures. Other signs of “winning the war” would be if fewer people suffer from complications of diabetes, such as vision problems or cardiovascular disease, he said.

He added: “If there have been fewer and fewer people with such complications over the years, then it means that people are now much more aware that they have diabetes and are making the right effort to control the progression of diabetes.”

For example, Dr. Tan noted that major lower limb amputations decreased from 116 to 66.3 per 100,000 patients from 2015 to 2019.

Lower body amputations signify a more severe complication of diabetes and mean that the disease has progressed to an advanced stage.

WHAT OTHER COUNTRIES HAVE DONE

In the global fight against diabetes, Finland and Japan are two countries that seem to have succeeded, managing to stabilize their numbers.

The IDF reported the prevalence of diabetes in Finland at 6.1% in 2021 and Japan at 6.6%, compared to 11.6% in Singapore in the same year.

The Finnish Diabetes Prevention Study (DPS), which started in 1993 and ended in 2001, was the first in the world to demonstrate that type 2 diabetes can be prevented by changing dietary habits and physical activity.

Finland then established a diabetes prevention and care development program in 2000, which ran until 2010 and focused on preventing type 2 diabetes through lifestyle interventions and improving early detection and care.

It introduced national screening programs, promoted physical activity and healthy diets, and worked with primary care providers to monitor people at risk, ultimately helping to reduce the incidence of diabetes among target groups.

High-risk individuals who were identified and involved in the program were found to have a 69% lower risk of type 2 diabetes after a one-year intervention and were able to lose 5% of their weight on average their.

Meanwhile, Japan started its National Health Program in 2008 to ensure early intervention and prevention of diabetes. This targeted people aged 40 and over and included health screenings and educational support.

More than half of the country’s 40- to 74-year-old population was screened, and the program achieved a 25% reduction in the risk of diabetes among patients with prediabetes.

People with pre-diabetes have blood sugar levels that are higher than normal, but not high enough to meet the criteria for type 2 diabetes. Being pre-diabetic serves as a warning sign that a person is at increased risk to develop diabetes and other complications.

WHAT MORE CAN SINGAPORE DO?

Singapore has made strides when it comes to managing the disease, and those living with type 2 diabetes agree that the government’s initiatives have made living with the disease much more manageable.

Ms Maureen Ng, 76, a housewife who was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, shares a similar experience of having a sweet tooth and penchant for nyonya kuehs.

“Before I was diagnosed, I wasn’t in control of my diet… Then I realized it wasn’t a lifestyle I could continue.”

In addition to watching her diet, Ms Ng has also been actively participating in The National Steps Challenge since its first season in 2015.

She said the rewards gave her an incentive to exercise more and helped her manage her sugar levels, especially after a big meal.

“I just walk a few times around my property and it registers about 5,000 steps and it makes me feel better,” said Ms Ng, who has since made daily walks part of her routine.