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Diabetes affects more than 285 million people globally according to estimates by the and . With seven million people developing diabetes each year, that number is expected to grow by more than 50 percent in the next 20 years to 438 million people.
Type ii diabetes is by far the most common form of the disease, affecting roughly 90 to 95 percent of the U.S. population of diabetics.
Adults with a Body Mass Index (BMI) over 30 are generally considered obese. BMI can be calculated by the formula: weight (kg) / [height (m)]^2.
The highest obesity rates in OECD countries are found in North America in the U.S. and Mexico at 34.3 and 30 percent, respectively, of the population age 15 and older. The lowest obesity rates occur in Asia and developing countries. The chart below shows the prevalence of obesity for the OECD countries. (Click on the image to see a larger version.)
The developing world is used to associating health problems related to food with issues of malnourishment and being underweight rather than obesity. In recent years, rapid development and urbanization have given rise to greater concerns about growing numbers of overweight and obese people. In 2006, the number of overweight people in the world overtook the number of malnourished, underweight people for the first time. The chart below from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization shows the population portions that are under- and overweight for developing and developed countries.
As people move to cities and adapt to urban living, they fall prey to the demands of more hectic lifestyles and temptations of modern conveniences. Urbanization gives rise to changes like less healthy eating habits and reduced physical activity.
Fortunately, active efforts to practice healthy lifestyle and eating habits can be rewarded with slimmer figures and a dramatically lower risk of developing type ii diabetes. Using data from the EPIC-Norfolk Study of 25,639 men and women ages 40-79 living in and around Norwich, England, researchers found that eating one or more portions of fish per week could reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes by 25 percent.
These results were supported by a prior ecological study of 41 countries on five continents with different socio-demographic characteristics. The study also found that high fish intake may reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes in populations with a high prevalence of obesity.
The study using the EPIC-Norfolk data by Patel et. al. controlled for a variety of lifestyle factors, including: physical activity, alcohol intake, smoking, plasma vitamin C levels or fruit and vegetable intake, and education level.
While the studies adjusted for the influence of these variables, those who developed diabetes tended to be older and male, have a higher average BMI (Body Mass Index), were less physically active, and consumed fewer fruits and vegetables. The opposite (female, lower BMI, more active, higher fruit and veggie consumption) was generally true for those who ate one or more portions of fish per week and did not have diabetes.
The news is not as encouraging for those with a fondness for shellfish like lobster and shrimp. In the Patel study, shellfish consumption produced markedly different results from eating fish. Rather than inhibit diabetes symptoms, eating one or more servings of shellfish per week actually increased the risk of developing diabetes by 36 percent. The researchers conducted statistical tests to confirm that this relationship could be attributed to the high cholesterol content of shellfish.
It turns out that eating fish can also be a good way to drop a few extra pounds. Other research found a relationship between obesity and fish consumption. Study participants who consumed white or oily fish as part of calorie-restricted diet for eight weeks lost an average of 1 kg of body weight more than control subjects.
The taste for fish and seafood varies greatly from one country to another. The chart below shows fish consumption data for a select group of countries from the Seafood Print study sponsored by the Pew Charitable Trusts and National Geographic Foundation. (Click on the image to see a larger version.)
Contrary to the link between obesity and development, Japan, one of the world’s most developed countries, has long held claim to the world’s longest life expectancy, which currently clocks in at more than 82 years. A remarkably low obesity rate of about 3 percent compared with 10 to 25 percent for most other developed countries has something to do with this achievement. Please refer back to the table above to compare Japan’s obesity incidence with those of other developed and developing countries.
The secrets to Japanese longevity are frequently linked to a healthy diet centered around ample consumption of fish and tofu. Makiko Itoh of and explains that trim Japanese bodies can also be attributed to smaller portions, more unplanned movement, and peer pressure from a culture that places a premium on “fitting comfortably and unabrasively into society.” Naomi Moriyama, co-author of , figures the average Japanese person eats about 25 percent fewer calories per day than the average American. According to Prof. Benjamin Senauer of the University of Minnesota, the average Japanese man walks four miles a day while nearly 25 percent of American adults walk only 1,000 to 3,000 steps per day (2,000 steps equates to about one mile for many people).
Patel, Pinal S., Stephen J. Sharp, Robert N. Luben, Kay-Tee Khaw, Sheila A. Bingham, Nicholas J. Wareham, and Nita G. Forouhi. . Diabetes Care. 32: 1857-1863. July 5, 2009.
Robb, Douglas. Pregnant Mothers Intake of Omega 3 Key to Babies Big Brains. Health Habits. May 29, 2008.
. Diabetes in Control.com. October 20, 2009.
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