The Canadian Diabetes Association and the Prince George Sikh Youth Society have joined forces to hold a free diabetes educational event in Punjabi and English at the Prince George Civic Centre.
The event on Saturday from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. is part of the Canadian Diabetes Association's continued commitment to educate the South Asian community, said Boyanne Young, Northern Region branch co-ordinator.
"We are aware that South Asians are a high risk group for diabetes. We are pleased that the Prince George Sikh Youth Society has joined our fight against diabetes in this community event," she said.
The event features motivational speaker, Tarlok Sablok, and highlights include free blood sugar and blood pressure screenings from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.
There will be trade show displays, a humorous healthy eating skit by Manorma Bhate, a registered dietitian, and a presentation from key note speaker Dr. Parmjit Sohal.
Dr. Sohal, a family physician in Surrey and clinical assistant professor at UBC, explains why South Asians are a high-risk group in his article Prevention and Management of Diabetes in South Asians published in the Canadian Journal of Diabetes in September, 2008.
"Diabetes is much higher among South Asians than it is in the general population. Canadian South Asians are three to five times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than Caucasians," Sohal said.
"In Canada, the prevalence of diabetes in South Asians has been found to be as high as 12 to 15 per cent compared to three to five per cent in Caucasians.
"In addition, South Asian children and adolescents have an increased risk of diabetes: it develops about 10 years earlier in South Asians than Europeans.
"The increased risk of developing diabetes in South Asians is due to genetic susceptibility as well as increased incidence of abdominal obesity, insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome."
Sohal said although the incidence of diabetes among South Asians has increased in recent decades, the majority of the cases are still undiagnosed and thus poorly controlled.
"Most South Asians with diabetes have a poor understanding of the disease and are unaware of its related complications. Lack of treatment may be due to denial, language barriers, low literacy rates and a lack of knowledge about diabetes."
Also, he noted many South Asians have negative beliefs and attitudes about diabetes, often believing that fate and God will look after their diabetes.
They also tend to have poor rates of compliance with lifestyle changes such as diet, weight control and physical activity.
