The audio is in isiZulu. See the English summary below.

MABUTHO: Njengoba inyanga ka November ithathwa njengenyanga yokuqwashisa ngesifo sediabetes okanye isifo sika shukela umbiko wenhlangano eqwashisa ngalesisifo, International Diabetes Federation, ubalula ukuthi minyaka yonke lesisifo sibulala abantu abangu 3.2 million emhlabeni jikelele. Kepha uDr Andrew Heilbrunn, ovela kwi Centre for Diabetes and Endocrinology eHoughton, eGoli, uthi lezizibalo bezingehliswa siphinde sivikelwe lesisifo ngokuthi  abantu badle ukudla okufanelekile baphinde bazinike isikhathi sokuvocavoca umzimba.

DR ANDREW HEIBRUNN: If we can improve the circulation to the feet, to the legs to the extremity, just by doing regular exercise, we will prevent or treat this complication as best as possible. The most important reason why people exercise is to prevent cardiovascular disease. That is heart disease and stroke. ‘€¦..It’€™s normally a disease of lifestyle. So, people need to follow a good healthy lifestyle, they need to keep their weight down, they need to be active, they need to eat correctly to try and prevent diabetes

MABUTHO: Zine izinhlobo ze diabetes ezikhona kodwa zimbili okuyizona ezijwayelekile. Eyokuqala kulezi ezijwayelekile ibizwa ngokuthi iType 1 diabetes okanye iJuvenile diabetes ngoba ivama ukutholakala umuntu esesemncane. Lena yokuqala idalwa ukwehluleka komzimba ukukhiqiza iinsulin emzimbeni. Iinsulin uhlobo oluthile lwesakhamzimba olulekelela umzimba ukuba ukhiqize ushukela odingakalayo emzimbeni. Kanti eyesibili yaziwa ngele Type 2 diabetes. Yona idalwa ukwehluleka komzimba ukukhiqiza iinsulin. Kanti ngokujwayelekile ivama ukuphatha abantu asebekhulile kusukela eminyakeni engu 40 kuya phezulu, kodwa kulemihla nabantwana nabo seyiyabaphatha lenhlobo ye diabetes ngenxa yokudla ukudla okungafanele kanye nokungavocavoci umzimba. UDr Heibrunn uthi zombili lezizinhlobo ze diabetes ziyingozi ngendlela efanayo uma lowo onayo engazinakekeli.

DR ANDREW HEILBRUNN: Both types are dangerous if you do not look after them. As long as you look after each type of diabetes you should prevent complications, which are kidney disease, amputations and heart disease. So it is important, no matter what type of diabetes that you have, if it’€™s Type 1, that you treat correctly with insulin, eat correctly (and) exercise correctly. If it’€™s Type 2, you treat with your tablets or insulin, and exercise and diet are very important. There is no dangerous diabetes. You just have to control your diabetes as best as possible.

MABUTHO: ULloyd Chetter ungumsubathi osubatha ngamabhayisikili okhokhelwayo watholakala ukuthi unalesisifo se diabetes enezinyanga ezingu 16 ezelwe. Uthi ukuba ne diabetes akumphazamisi nakancane kulomdlalo wakhe wokusubatha ngamabhayisikili. Naye oka Chetter ugcizelela kwelika Dr Heilbrunn ekuthenini kubalulekile ukuthi umuntu onalesisifo azinakekele ngokuvocavoca umzimbi kanjalo nokugwema ukudla okungalungile ikakhulukazi lokho okunamafutha amaningi.

LLOYD CHETTER: Well, it’€™s just really control. The most important thing is to learn to live with it. I mean from day to day you just have to learn to live with it and make sure that you’€™re living a normal lifestyle at the same time. But it’€™s also very difficult because you’€˜ve got to ensure that your sugar level is always at a right level, otherwise you’€™ll have long-term complications.

MABUTHO: Maqondana nokudla okumele kudliwe ngabantu abanalesisifo uthi akudingi ukuthi abantu baze badle uhlobo oluthile lokudla. Uthi ukudla okujwayelekile kwanele inqobo nje uma abantu bezogwema ukudla ukudla okunamafutha amaningi kanye noshukela omningi.

LLOYD CHETTER: It’€™s really eating normally and making sure you’€™re not eating fatty food and sugary food.   It’€™s really eating normal food and just knowing how to adjust your levels for that kind of food’€¦.and really there is nothing different to a normal lifestyle.

MABUTHO: Ngokombiko we International Diabetes Federation lesisifo siya ngokuya siba inkinga emazweni asathuthuka kwezomnotho ikakhulukazi kubantu abahlala emadolobheni. Lombiko walenhlangano uthi bangu 230 million abantu abanalesisifo emhlabeni jikelele kanti abangu 6 million babo batholakala kuleli laseNingizimu Africa. Kulindele ukuba zinyuke zifinyelele ku 333 million ngonyaka ka 2025 izibalo zabantu abangenwa ilesisifo ngokulandisa kwalombiko.

English summary

Diabetes on the rise

As the international community is focusing on HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis another rapidly growing epidemic, diabetes, is also demanding attention.

Diabetes is rapidly emerging as a major health problem, particularly in the developing world.  According to the International Diabetes Federation report, diabetes kills 3.2 million people worldwide every year. Dr Andre Heilbrunn of the Centre for Diabetes and Endocrinology in Houghton, Johannesburg, says these numbers can be reduced and the disease be prevented by living healthy lifestyles.

‘€œIf we can improve the circulation to the feet, to the legs, just by doing regular exercise, we will prevent or treat this complication as best as possible. The most important reason why people exercise is to prevent cardio-vascular disease. That is heart disease and stroke. ‘€¦It’€™s normally a disease of lifestyle. So, people need to follow a good healthy lifestyle, they need to keep their weight down, they need to be active, they need to eat correctly to try and prevent diabetes,’€ said Dr Heilbrunn.

There are four types of diabetes, but the most common ones are Type 1 or juvenile diabetes and Type 2. Type 1 diabetes is caused by the body’s failure to produce insulin – the hormone that allows glucose to enter and fuel the cells of the body. Type 2 diabetes is caused by the failure of the body to properly use insulin. Dr Heilbrunn says both types are dangerous if not managed properly.

‘€œBoth types are dangerous if you do not look after them. As long as you look after each type of diabetes, you should prevent complications, which are kidney disease, amputations and heart disease. So it is important, no matter what type of diabetes that you have, if it’€™s Type 1, that you treat correctly with insulin, eat correctly (and) exercise correctly. If it’€™s Type 2, you treat with your tablets or insulin, and exercise and diet are very important. There is no dangerous diabetes. You just have to control your diabetes as best as possible,’€ Dr Heilbrunn said.

Lloyd Chetter is a professional cyclist. He was diagnosed with diabetes when he was only 16 months old. He says having diabetes does not disturb him from doing his favorite sport, cycling. Like Dr Heilbrunn, he says diabetes can be controlled.

‘€œWell, it’€™s just really control. The most important thing is to learn to live with it and make sure that you’€™re living a normal lifestyle at the same time. But it’€™s also very difficult because you’€˜ve got to ensure that your sugar level is always at a right level, otherwise you’€™ll have long-term complications,’€ he said.

Regarding the diet, he says it is a matter of avoiding particular foods rather than having special diets.

‘€œIt’€™s really eating normally and making sure you’€™re not eating fatty food and sugary food and just knowing how to adjust your levels for that kind of food’€¦.and really there is nothing different to a normal lifestyle,’€ said Chetter.

According to new data from the International Diabetes Federation, diabetes already afflicts 230 million people worldwide with six million of them in South Africa. It is estimated that by 2025 the number is likely to exceed 300 million.