Chennai: The prevalence of endocrine disease – diabetes is around six per cent in India and between one and five per cent in Tamilnadu, said Endocrine Society of Tamilnadu secretary and TRENDO 2019 scientific advisory committee member, Dr V Kumaravel.
He was speaking at the two-day conference TRENDO convened to create awareness on endocrine diseases and diabetes Saturday in Chennai.
Delivering Prof K Kannan oration, Chandigarh Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) Dr.Anil Bhansali, Department of Endocrinology – Professor and Head, Dr Anil Bhansali said, “For beta cell replacement therapy, pancreatic transplantation from cadaver is in use currently. Among other methods, stem cell gives promising future.”
Kumaravel stated that people are aware of the common endocrine diseases – diabetes and thyroid and emphasises on the need to be aware to detect and treat early. “The normal function of endocrine glands is essential for everyone’s life. For instance, cortisol is a hormone secreted by adrenal gland that is required when you are under stress. People are unaware about the hormonal malfunction. Most of the endocrine-related diseases are curable, for diabetic patients alone we can give near normal life.”
Commenting on the rise of young diabetic patients, he added, “we believe obesity is the major causative agent. In such cases, the insulin action comes down, leading to diabetes. The second reason is the transition of India from being a under-nutritious country to over-nutritious country, so, naturally people over-eat. Although our food habits has changed, our physical activity has not, causing obesity. Another reason is stress, to handle which the endocrine glands secretes various hormone which can give secondary diabetes.”
During the conference, the ‘Manual of Clinical Endocrinology’ was released by Dr Anil Bhansali.