Health Check Ep 72: Don't let diabetes sneak up on you

17:10 mins

Synopsis: Every first and third Wednesday of the month, The Straits Times helps you make sense of health matters that affect you.

In this pandemic, many people may be eating more and exercising less. It's not a good combination. The prevalence of obesity in Singapore across all ages has risen from 8.6 per cent in 2017 to 10.5 per cent last year. Not only is obesity a leading risk factor for Type 2 diabetes, it is also one of the factors that can cause one to have more serious complications when infected with Covid-19.

In this episode, ST senior health correspondent Joyce Teo speaks with Dr Asim Shabbir, a senior consultant and the Head of General Surgery at Alexandra Hospital, who has a special interest in bariatric and metabolic surgery.

0:00 Highlights of conversation (click/tap above):

1:03 Singapore's diabetes situation outlook in 2021, challenge of obesity and more Asians getting diabetes at a younger age

3:40 Early diagnosis as more people put on weight during this pandemic: Key interventions include being able to manage glucose levels, reducing weight to prolong normal abilities of pancreas, avoiding loss of limbs later in life

6:40 Dr Asim's dietary suggestions and advice on consuming supplements

7:39 Whether it's a good idea for people with diabetes to pop a supplement to boost their immunity or if they should get a flu jab?

10:30 Why exercising is more profound for our bodies than just seeing it as a way to burn calories; how medical interventions such as bariatric surgery can add as much as 10 years to a patient's life expectancy

Produced by: Joyce Teo (joyceteo@sph.com.sg), Ernest Luis and Fa'izah Sani

Edited by: Hadyu Rahim

Follow Health Check Podcast here and rate us:

Channel: https://str.sg/JWaN

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Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

Read Joyce Teo's stories: https://str.sg/JbxN

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Discover ST's special edition podcasts:

The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia: https://str.sg/wuZ2

Stop Scams: https://str.sg/wuZB

Singapore's War On Covid: https://str.sg/wuJa

Invisible Asia: https://str.sg/wuZn

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Discover more ST podcast series:

Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7

Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf

In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt

Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m

#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad

ST Sports Talk: https://str.sg/JWRE

Bookmark This!: https://str.sg/JWas

Lunch With Sumiko: https://str.sg/J6hQ

Discover ST Podcasts: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

Discover BT Podcasts: https://bt.sg/pcPL

Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts!

#healthcheck

Health Check Ep 72: Don't let diabetes sneak up on you
17:10 mins
Synopsis: Every first and third Wednesday of the month, The Straits Times helps you make sense of health matters that affect you.
In this pandemic, many people may be eating more and exercising less. It's not a good combination. The prevalence of obesity in Singapore across all ages has risen from 8.6 per cent in 2017 to 10.5 per cent last year. Not only is obesity a leading risk factor for Type 2 diabetes, it is also one of the factors that can cause one to have more serious complications when infected with Covid-19.
In this episode, ST senior health correspondent Joyce Teo speaks with Dr Asim Shabbir, a senior consultant and the Head of General Surgery at Alexandra Hospital, who has a special interest in bariatric and metabolic surgery.
0:00 Highlights of conversation (click/tap above):
1:03 Singapore's diabetes situation outlook in 2021, challenge of obesity and more Asians getting diabetes at a younger age
3:40 Early diagnosis as more people put on weight during this pandemic: Key interventions include being able to manage glucose levels, reducing weight to prolong normal abilities of pancreas, avoiding loss of limbs later in life
6:40 Dr Asim's dietary suggestions and advice on consuming supplements
7:39 Whether it's a good idea for people with diabetes to pop a supplement to boost their immunity or if they should get a flu jab?
10:30 Why exercising is more profound for our bodies than just seeing it as a way to burn calories; how medical interventions such as bariatric surgery can add as much as 10 years to a patient's life expectancy
Produced by: Joyce Teo (<a href="mailto:joyceteo@sph.com.sg">joyceteo@sph.com.sg</a>), Ernest Luis and Fa'izah Sani
Edited by: Hadyu Rahim
Follow Health Check Podcast here and rate us:
Channel: <a href="https://str.sg/JWaN">https://str.sg/JWaN</a>
Apple Podcasts: <a href="https://str.sg/JWRX">https://str.sg/JWRX</a>
Spotify: <a href="https://str.sg/JWaQ">https://str.sg/JWaQ</a>
Google Podcasts: <a href="https://str.sg/J6Wv">https://str.sg/J6Wv</a> 
SPH Awedio app:<a href="https://www.awedio.sg/"> https://www.awedio.sg/</a>
Website: <a href="http://str.sg/stpodcasts">http://str.sg/stpodcasts</a>
Feedback to: <a href="mailto:podcast@sph.com.sg">podcast@sph.com.sg</a>
Read Joyce Teo's stories: <a href="https://str.sg/JbxN">https://str.sg/JbxN</a>
---
Discover ST's special edition podcasts:
The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia: <a href="https://str.sg/wuZ2">https://str.sg/wuZ2</a>
Stop Scams: <a href="https://str.sg/wuZB">https://str.sg/wuZB</a>
Singapore's War On Covid: <a href="https://str.sg/wuJa">https://str.sg/wuJa</a>
Invisible Asia:<a href="https://str.sg/wuZn"> https://str.sg/wuZn</a>
---
Discover more ST podcast series:
Asian Insider: <a href="https://str.sg/JWa7">https://str.sg/JWa7</a>
Green Pulse: <a href="https://str.sg/JWaf">https://str.sg/JWaf</a>
In Your Opinion: <a href="https://str.sg/w7Qt">https://str.sg/w7Qt</a>
Your Money &amp; Career: <a href="https://str.sg/wB2m">https://str.sg/wB2m</a>
#PopVultures: <a href="https://str.sg/JWad">https://str.sg/JWad</a>
ST Sports Talk: <a href="https://str.sg/JWRE">https://str.sg/JWRE</a>
Bookmark This!: <a href="https://str.sg/JWas">https://str.sg/JWas</a>
Lunch With Sumiko: <a href="https://str.sg/J6hQ">https://str.sg/J6hQ</a>
Discover ST Podcasts: <a href="http://str.sg/stpodcasts">http://str.sg/stpodcasts</a>
Discover BT Podcasts: <a href="https://bt.sg/pcPL">https://bt.sg/pcPL</a>
Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts!
#healthcheck

Synopsis: Every first Wednesday of the month, The Straits Times helps you make sense of health matters that affect you.

Podcaster: Joyce Teo

Produced by podcast editor Ernest Luis & The Straits Times, SPH Media Trust.

Synopsis: Every first Wednesday of the month, The Straits Times helps you make sense of health matters that affect you.
Podcaster: Joyce Teo
Produced by podcast editor Ernest Luis &amp; The Straits Times, SPH Media Trust.

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