Diabetes UK and the South Asian Health Foundation (SAHF) have highlighted 16 research topics in a recent report with regard to South Asian people.
The report's recommendations attempt to find out why Type 2 diabetes is six times plus more common in South Asian people than the others.
The two charities, supported by Keith Vaz, MP for Leicester East, launched "Diabetes UK and South Asian Health Foundation recommendations on diabetes research priorities for British South Asians", at the House of Commons.
South Asians constitute four per cent of the total UK population, however, they make up eight per cent of diabetics . This report underlines important lifestyle factors for those of Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi origin in the UK.
Priority topics, which are aimed at researchers and funding bodies, include lack of appropriate participation in diabetes research of South Asian people, diet and exercise, genetics, screening, Type 2 diabetes prevention, psychological consequences of diabetes, treatment and care.
Diabetes is huge health challenge in the UK today, a £1 million an hour being spent by the NHS on this condition. Given the effort invested in diabetes research we need to examine diabetes in South Asian people living in the UK in greater detail.
South Asian people in the UK are up to six times more likely to have Type 2 diabetes in contrast to the general public and tend to have poorer diabetes management .
South Asians are also three times more likely to get heart disease and four times more likely to have kidney disease.
Far more research needs to be undertaken to discover why this is so.
Keith Vaz, MP, a keen campaigner on diabetes issues, stated that : "Research in diabetes in South Asian people in the UK is absolutely essential if we are to tackle this growing health epidemic. I hope that researchers around the country will take note of these guidelines and find them a useful tool when determining which issues to examine."
|
