Dubai Hospital organises health awareness campaign on World Diabetes Day

The campaign was a big hit with health professionals when the event was held at the Rashid Hospital in Dubai recently during the World Food Day on October 15th.

The range of unique healthy cooking solutions - Actifry, Vitacuisine and Nutricook - offer Innovative alternatives for people looking for healthier ways to cook without compromising on taste. The benefits of each product will be explained by Nathalie Fatta Haddad: Product Manager of Tefal. A chef will prepare delicious dishes using the three products and will be available for sampling by the public.

Dr. Wafaa Ayesh Director of Clinical Nutrition Department - Dubai Health Authority (DHA) said: "Because early detection of diabetes is so critical to preventing complications such as heart disease, stroke, blindness and nerve and kidney damage, November has been designated American Diabetes Month,"

"The good news is that the best diet for a person with diabetes is really the same kind of healthy eating that is best for the nutritional management of an average person. To properly manage diabetes a complete change of lifestyle is necessary where one strives to achieve a balanced diet and where moderation and healthy food choices are the keys to good health,"

Dr. Ayesh stressed.

Mrs Samia Al Sayegh, Head of Development and Follow Up section in Clinical Nutrition Department - DHA observed that dietary changes typically involve both calorie and carbohydrate control (and should, of course, be combined with an appropriate exercise). Adjusting dietary intake to minimize dramatic highs and lows in blood glucose and to keep levels of blood sugar within normal range can be met with healthy cooking and counting of calories.

"Among the products which we will be demonstrating at the event include Nutricook, a pressure cooker with four exclusive cooking programmes that offer optimum cooking for each food group retaining vitamins in food as well as the original colour and texture, making it palatable and healthy," said Ms.Haddad, Groupe Seb Product Manager Cookware. "Nutricook, the only pressure cooker in the world with four exclusive programmes for meat, vegetables, starchy food, and fish is being launched in the Middle East simultaneous with the launch in France."

She added that the popular Tefal product "Acitfry," will also be demonstrated at the event along with Vitacuisine, a versatile steamer. "Actifry," sold a million units worldwide at launch last year. This revolutionary cooker can oook a kilo of french fries with only one spoonful of oil, using an innovative technology. Vitacuisine retains vitamins and food texture when used to steam food.

Ms. Haddad said Tefal, the French inventor of non-stick pots and pans and manufacturer of ingenious small kitchen appliances invests in R&D to come up with unique innovations in household products that people use every day. "Nutritious and Delicious," health awareness campaign has been endorsed by Dubai Hospital and the medical body at large."

Since its inception, "Nutritious and Delicious," campaign had visited countries in the Gulf countries of the Middle East, where the incidence of obesity and diabetes is high to conduct a health awareness drive with medical practitioners - doctors, nurses, and nutritionists on the benefits of a healthy diet and healthy cooking alternatives for a better lifestyle.

World Diabetes Day (WDD) is celebrated every year on November 14. The World Diabetes Day campaign is led by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and its member associations.

It engages millions of people worldwide in diabetes advocacy and awareness. World Diabetes Day was created in 1991 by the International Diabetes Federation and the World Health Organization in response to growing concerns about the escalating health threat that diabetes now poses. World Diabetes Day became an official United Nations Day in 2007 with the passage of United Nation Resolution 61/225.

The campaign draws attention to issues of paramount importance to the diabetes world and keeps diabetes firmly in the public spotlight. This year sees the first of a five-year campaign that will address the growing need for diabetes education and prevention programmes.