IF EVER THERE WAS a reason to improve your diet and increase your daily physical activity, it is now.

The latest statistics confirm what anecdotal evidence has suggested for years – diabetes is on the rise in Barbados, and it is affecting from the youngest children to the elderly.

Statistics revealed Thursday by Minister of Health Dr David Estwick in his World Diabetes Day message, themed Diabetes In Adolescents And Children, showed that a whopping 22 per cent of people over 65 years old, and 17 per cent of over-40s, have the disease.

He also disclosed "a small but increasing number of children, particularly at the adolescent stage, have been developing Type-2 diabetes, which is linked to lifestyle factors such as obesity and physical inactivity".

Saying "this increasing number of affected persons indicates a major cause for concern", Estwick urged Barbadians to start taking positive steps towards prevention.

"Plant a fruit tree; start a kitchen garden; make a commitment to yourself to exercise for at least 30 minutes a day, three days a week. Let us strive to live a healthy lifestyle," he said.

Estwick's message is clear, unequivocal and emphatic, and should be heeded.

The low quality of life, and the pain and prolonged suffering of many of those afflicted by diabetes make it imperative that you take the steps needed to protect yourself from developing this disease or manage it if you already have it.

Health problems linked to diabetes are notoriously "frightening". The disease, if left untreated, can lead to kidney failure, gangrene and amputation, blindness or stroke, apart from problems with the heart, nerves and blood flow. Medication, diet control and exercise are the standard treatment for the disease.

Many diabetics, unable to meet the cost of food items that are best for them, settle for cheaper food that eventually aggravates their condition, as they endeavour to cope with the increased appetite that is often a symptom of the disease.

One unfortunate aspect of this is that many diabetics in this situation feel they cannot change it and just eat what is available.

Assisting such cases, however difficult, is one of the challenges we cannot keep side-stepping if we are to overcome the present frustration about not making more headway in dealing with diabetes which remains a major killer in our country.