Lots of Diabetes in Thailand?

[Travel2003]

Most of my wife's family have Diabetes.

Same with her distant relatives, neighbor families and friends.

A ridicules amount of people in same village (Karasin region) have it.

My wife will now go and have herself checked up in order to find out.

Question is, is it normal to have so many cases in rural Thailand?

I understand Diabetes is both heritable and can be caused by wrong diet?

Anyone?

[Sheryl]

The incidence of type 2 diabetes is rapidly increasing in Thailand.

white rice (commercially milled, a change from the traditional past, as thus converted to sugar almost immediately) , overuse of sugar in cooking and in prepared food items, and consumption of junk food are to blame.

[Travel2003]

I think I read somewhere that the usage of sugar is increasing rapidly in Thailand.

Again, I have not really much knowledge within this field, but I am guessing this is part of the reason for one type of Diabetes?

[hanno]

I live in Cambodia where eating habits are quite similar (though less junk food, at least for the time being). I had all my staff screened for diabetes a few months back, out of 230, 20 (most of them in their 20's) had diabetes type 2. I spoke to the doctor doing the screening and he said it is due to the high amount of (white) rice the Khmer eat. They also have a habit of adding processed sugar to food.

[Sheryl]

Yes, there is also a huge increase in Cambodia in diabetes. Same reason as in Thailand.

[chiang mai]

It's not necessaily sugar, it's refined carbohydrates such as bread, cakes, burgers, pizza's, ready meals. fast foods, sandwiches, soft drinks such as sweetened green tea, cola's - difficult to know where to stop! Part of the problem is the adoption of western foods, another part part is reduced amount of exercise, a massive problem here in the making.

But the problem can be solved through a healthy diet and exercise, boring I know but it's your choice, eat healthily or die young.

Type II diabetic for the past year, now reformed!

[MJP]

It's sticky rice. Very high glycemic index, over 90.

[Sceptict11]

Staple diet in the province is "sticky rice" and that combined with a probable genetic influence combines thus the increased risk of diabetes.

Research would probably demonstrate a very low incidence of historical travel outside or into the region which would tend to magnify any inherent genetic traits. Hence the high incidence of diabetes.

Persuading the rural folk to alter their dietary habits is not for the faint hearted or the non Thai speaker !

[Travel2003]

Has alcohol consumption any affect?

Or does this not count in this case?

[chiang mai]

Sheryl: why not create a pinned thread on this topic, the subject is comming up almost daily and loads of people would benefit from the advice that existing members can provide.

[Sceptict11]

Has alcohol consumption any affect?

Or does this not count in this case?

Excess alcohol usage can, in fact, due to its effect on the pancreas/liver, add to the problem.

[MJP]

Staple diet in the province is "sticky rice" and that combined with a probable genetic influence combines thus the increased risk of diabetes.

Research would probably demonstrate a very low incidence of historical travel outside or into the region which would tend to magnify any inherent genetic traits. Hence the high incidence of diabetes.

Persuading the rural folk to alter their dietary habits is not for the faint hearted or the non Thai speaker !

Tried getting Mother interested in black rice (known as the Forbidden Rice). Forget it.

[chiang mai]

Has alcohol consumption any affect?

Or does this not count in this case?

Alcohol delays the processing of body sugar by the liver, it rids the body of alcohol before it processes sugar and it's a dangerous process - if you have Diabetes you should not drink alcohol except in small and measured ammounts. Google diabetes101 and read all from start to finish.

Everyone: we have to be able to do better than this, these questions are being raised and answered daily, George even has a thread running currently where we repeat the same information over and over, can we not do better than this?

[Travel2003]

Diabetes 101, nice site.

Informative.

Im more curious to the relation to Thailand.

I think it is also an increase in alcohol consumption in the land as well.

[Sceptict11]

Has alcohol consumption any affect?

Or does this not count in this case?

Alcohol delays the processing of body sugar by the liver, it rids the body of alcohol before it processes sugar and it's a dangerous process - if you have Diabetes you should not drink alcohol except in small and measured ammounts. Google diabetes101 and read all from start to finish.

Everyone: we have to be able to do better than this, these questions are being raised and answered daily, George even has a thread running currently where we repeat the same information over and over, can we not do better than this?

Whilst not wishing to disagree with what you say excess alcohol has a physically damaging effect on both the pancreas and the liver. Both organs play an important role in maintaining "normal" blood sugar levels.

[chiang mai]

Diabetes 101, nice site.

Informative.

Im more curious to the relation to Thailand.

I think it is also an increase in alcohol consumption in the land as well.

I stand to be corrected but I thin the same rules apply.

Also, the earllier point regarding alcohol is agreed, I think it's an issue of moderation although the levels of that are not set out or uniform and are unique to individuals.

[Sheryl]

Staple diet in the province is "sticky rice" and that combined with a probable genetic influence combines thus the increased risk of diabetes.

Research would probably demonstrate a very low incidence of historical travel outside or into the region which would tend to magnify any inherent genetic traits. Hence the high incidence of diabetes.

Persuading the rural folk to alter their dietary habits is not for the faint hearted or the non Thai speaker !

Tried getting Mother interested in black rice (known as the Forbidden Rice). Forget it.

Educated urban Thais are just staring to favor unpolished rice. It will take some time for this to become norm even for them and a massive public health campaign will be needed to spread the idea to rural areas.

For this living in rural areas, if you have the opportunity to get rice straight from a miller, you can specify 50% milled rather than 100%. I was able to do this in Cambodia and get my Cambodian family to eat it (actually still looks white and tastes more or less the same). But even in Cambodia it was hard to arrange, and would be harder still in Thailand especially for a small order.

[Sheryl]

Diabetes 101, nice site.

Informative.

Im more curious to the relation to Thailand.

I think it is also an increase in alcohol consumption in the land as well.

Alcohol is pure sugar and definitiely bad for diabetics.

However having been here on and off since 1980 I would have to disagree that consumption of it has increased. Believe me, the men in particular drank heavily even back then. As much or more than now....

[MJP]

Staple diet in the province is "sticky rice" and that combined with a probable genetic influence combines thus the increased risk of diabetes.

Research would probably demonstrate a very low incidence of historical travel outside or into the region which would tend to magnify any inherent genetic traits. Hence the high incidence of diabetes.

Persuading the rural folk to alter their dietary habits is not for the faint hearted or the non Thai speaker !

Tried getting Mother interested in black rice (known as the Forbidden Rice). Forget it.

Educated urban Thais are just staring to favor unpolished rice. It will take some time for this to become norm even for them and a massive public health campaign will be needed to spread the idea to rural areas.

For this living in rural areas, if you have the opportunity to get rice straight from a miller, you can specify 50% milled rather than 100%. I was able to do this in Cambodia and get my Cambodian family to eat it (actually still looks white and tastes more or less the same). But even in Cambodia it was hard to arrange, and would be harder still in Thailand especially for a small order.

I've even tried getting Mum to grow it, black rice that is. It sells for a much higher price too.

I shall try again when I see Mum next week.

[chiang mai]

The subject of diabetes and alcohol is massively complex and there is nio single answer, here's what the ADA says on the subject:

http://www.diabetes.org/food-and-fitness/food/what-can-i-eat/alcohol.html

Clearly the major risk is to hypoglycemics in the first instance.

But other studies by the ADA and others have shown that alcohol is capable of reducing blood glucose levels in some patients, a brief explanation of how and why is found here, along with the link to endocrinology to explain it in more detail:

http://diabeteshealth.com/read/2008/01/23/5630/scientists-figure-out-how-alcohol-lowers-blood-sugar/

http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/24/11/1888.long

The third angle on all of this is that the liver is a single function organ, it can only do one thing at a time and it's priority is always to rid the body of poison aka alcohol, in doing that it delays glucose processing. And since alcohol is proven to be damaging to the liver and because the liver is already weakened by diabetes, the two do not sit well together.

[Ulysses G.]

For this living in rural areas, if you have the opportunity to get rice straight from a miller, you can specify 50% milled rather than 100%. I was able to do this in Cambodia and get my Cambodian family to eat it (actually still looks white and tastes more or less the same). But even in Cambodia it was hard to arrange, and would be harder still in Thailand especially for a small order.

Pretty much all the Thai vegetarian restaurants in Chiang Mai use what they call "brown rice", but it looks white other than little dark brown spots. Someone told me that it is polished to the point that it retains all the nutrition of brown rice, but gets rid of the roughage/fiber. Does anyone know if this is true?

[bunnydrops]

The government comes through and tests selected individuals (over weight and/or old) once a year. I can't believe the number of fat people, both young and old around here. My wife who has lived here all her life (in her 40s)says it wasn't always this way. The people now have more food and less labor intensive work. Eating more food here means eating more rice, and the food stalls make everything far too sweet.

[chiang mai]

Agreed the amount of suagr in Thai food can be horendous yet if you ask a restaurant or food stall vendor they will happily make it without.

[Sheryl]

For this living in rural areas, if you have the opportunity to get rice straight from a miller, you can specify 50% milled rather than 100%. I was able to do this in Cambodia and get my Cambodian family to eat it (actually still looks white and tastes more or less the same). But even in Cambodia it was hard to arrange, and would be harder still in Thailand especially for a small order.

Pretty much all the Thai vegetarian restaurants in Chiang Mai use what they call "brown rice", but it looks white other than little dark brown spots. Someone told me that it is polished to the point that it retains all the nutrition of brown rice, but gets rid of the roughage/fiber. Does anyone know if this is true?

It sounds like undermilled rice, i.e. milled to less than 100%. What I was referring to. It does not have the same amount of micro nutrients as brown rice as some of the kernal has been removed, but it does a lesser amount. Whereas fully polished white rice is stripped of all micronutrients.

[tropo]

I think I read somewhere that the usage of sugar is increasing rapidly in Thailand.

Again, I have not really much knowledge within this field, but I am guessing this is part of the reason for one type of Diabetes?

Have you seen the quantity of sickly sweet drinks and foods sold in all convenience stores and supermarkets? My theory is that excessive chili consumption leads to excessive sugar consumption as sweet foods and/or drinks are craved after the mouth has been set on fire. I know that if I eat a spicy meal my thoughts quickly turns to ice cream or other sweet things no matter how much I've eaten, so these extra bad calories are added to an already adequate meal.

[tropo]

It sounds like undermilled rice, i.e. milled to less than 100%. What I was referring to. It does not have the same amount of micro nutrients as brown rice as some of the kernal has been removed, but it does a lesser amount. Whereas fully polished white rice is stripped of all micronutrients.

It's not stripped of all micronutrients, merely diminished somewhat, and not as much as people are saying. The main difference is fiber. We covered this in another thread so I won't go into details again.

[tropo]

It's not necessaily sugar, it's refined carbohydrates such as bread, cakes, burgers, pizza's, ready meals. fast foods, sandwiches, soft drinks such as sweetened green tea, cola's - difficult to know where to stop! Part of the problem is the adoption of western foods, another part part is reduced amount of exercise, a massive problem here in the making.

But the problem can be solved through a healthy diet and exercise, boring I know but it's your choice, eat healthily or die young.

Type II diabetic for the past year, now reformed!

Yes, so how much is the cause related to nutrient deficiencies, rather than excess carbohydrates?

[Sheryl]

If you want to get an idea of just how much sugar people are eating, read the labels at the supermarket. Try to find a fruit juice without added sugar (there are some, but few and far between), yogurt without added sugar (none in my province), fruit preserves/jam without added sweetener (ditto), cereals which are not sweetened (only oatmeal), snack foods without huge amounts of sugar and fat added -- Thais add far more of these unhealthy things to their packaged foods than is done in the West. The idea of "no added sugar" being a selling point has not yet arrived.

[tropo]

Staple diet in the province is "sticky rice" and that combined with a probable genetic influence combines thus the increased risk of diabetes.

Research would probably demonstrate a very low incidence of historical travel outside or into the region which would tend to magnify any inherent genetic traits. Hence the high incidence of diabetes.

Persuading the rural folk to alter their dietary habits is not for the faint hearted or the non Thai speaker !

Tried getting Mother interested in black rice (known as the Forbidden Rice). Forget it.

LOL. I tried getting my wife interested in brown rice. Forget it! It's not going to happen.

[chiang mai]

It's not necessaily sugar, it's refined carbohydrates such as bread, cakes, burgers, pizza's, ready meals. fast foods, sandwiches, soft drinks such as sweetened green tea, cola's - difficult to know where to stop! Part of the problem is the adoption of western foods, another part part is reduced amount of exercise, a massive problem here in the making.

But the problem can be solved through a healthy diet and exercise, boring I know but it's your choice, eat healthily or die young.

Type II diabetic for the past year, now reformed!

Yes, so how much is the cause related to nutrient deficiencies, rather than excess carbohydrates?

An excellent question, my guess is that the problem is more about excess carbs rather than nutrient defficiency, isn't it about overloading one part of the system rather than depriving the majority? Also, were it defficiency wouldn't there be more evidence of other common diseases amongst diabetics?

What do the published experts say?