Zhao Jingxin said that diabetes is more related to acquired lifestyle habits, and it is important to control body weight and diet.
[Expert Profile]
Chief Physician, Part-time Professor at Fujian Medical University, and member of the hospital's expert group. Currently serves as the Standing Committee Member of the Fujian Provincial Endocrine Society of the Chinese Medical Association and the Chairman of the Xiamen Endocrine Society of the Chinese Medical Association.
[Clinic Visit Snapshot]
Zhao Jingxin is an expert in the treatment of diabetes and hyperthyroidism, and enjoys an excellent reputation among the public. To get an appointment with her, you must call a week in advance. The staff starts accepting appointments at 8:00 AM, but by 7:00 AM, the lines are already full, making it extremely difficult to get a slot. During the interview, there were many patients, and due to a shortage of staff, the center director personally stepped in to assist Zhao Jingxin, helping with writing prescriptions and forms.
A citizen, Ms. Liu, had taken a day off work specifically to see Zhao for her hyperthyroidism. "This is a chronic condition, so I need to see the same doctor consistently. It's too difficult to get an appointment at a big hospital; it's agonizing when you can't get the medical care you need." Ms. Liu lives nearby. Zhao Jingxin ordered a thyroid function test for her, and she can have her blood drawn at a community health center, where staff will then send the sample to the main hospital for testing. "This is so much more convenient," she said.
Auntie Zhang is a long-term diabetes patient and is usually very health-conscious. During her consultation, she mentioned that she often drinks soup made by stewing pork ribs. "This is quite nourishing, and it helps me avoid the side effects of taking too much medication." After hearing this, Zhao Jingxin promptly advised Auntie Zhang to stop drinking pork rib soup. "Diabetic patients are more prone to hunger and should pay attention to controlling their diet. It's not advisable to consume highly nourishing foods. Pork rib soup is too oily; you can't eat such greasy things." Zhao Jingxin suggested that she drink shark fin soup or razor clam soup instead.
[Expert's Advice]
Excess weight requires a hospital check-up.
The number of people with diabetes is increasing. Zhao Jingxin said that last year, the Xiamen Diabetes Research Institute participated in a national diabetes prevalence survey, collecting 550 samples from our city. The statistical results showed a diabetes prevalence rate of 7.6% and a pre-diabetes rate of 6.1%. In 1986, during the second large-scale national diabetes survey, the incidence rate in Xiamen was 2.5%.
Zhao Jingxin said that in recent years, diabetes is no longer a "disease exclusive to middle-aged and elderly people"; many young people are now developing it. She has seen patients as young as 8 years old. "Besides genetic factors, diabetes is more often caused by acquired lifestyle habits and living environment. Especially for modern people, irregular lifestyles, excessive consumption of high-calorie and hormone-containing foods, and lack of physical exercise have led to a trend of diabetes becoming more common and occurring at a younger age."
A survey in our city last year showed: more than half of the citizens have abnormal blood lipids, and 30% are overweight. "Diabetes is closely linked to obesity, especially abnormal blood lipids." The Diabetes Research Institute recently conducted a survey of nearly 300 vegetarians and found that their blood lipid levels remained low, and their incidence of diabetes was also relatively low.
"There is a method called BMI = weight (kg) / height (m²) to test if you are overweight. If your BMI value is between 18 and 25, it means you are in a relatively normal weight state. For example, if someone weighs 75 kg and is 1.70 meters tall, their BMI = 75 / (1.7 * 1.7) = 26, which means they are overweight and should control their weight or get a medical check-up."
Don't neglect post-meal blood glucose measurements.
Since working in the community, Zhao Jingxin has found that people generally have some misconceptions about diabetes. The control of diabetes among patients is not optimistic. Data shows that less than one-quarter of diabetic patients have their blood lipids under control. Many people do not pay enough attention to blood glucose testing; many patients only measure their fasting blood glucose while neglecting to measure their blood glucose levels after meals.
Zhao Jingxin advises citizens that after the age of 40, they should have an annual physical exam and seek corresponding treatment based on the results from various hospitals. For those with high blood sugar, they should consult a diabetes specialist for comprehensive consultation and treatment. Medical workers should also establish a health file for each diabetic patient, recording their fasting blood glucose and 2-hour post-meal blood glucose (these two tests should be done at least once a week, except for those on insulin), glycosylated hemoglobin (once every three months), as well as blood pressure, blood triglycerides, cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, etc. In addition, tests for renal function, uric acid, creatinine clearance rate, and urinary albumin are also necessary and should be performed at least once or twice a year to further understand if there are any kidney-related complications.
Community Health Files
Xiamen Gang Street Community Health Service Center: This is an important base in Xiamen for the national diabetes management model exploration project. It long-term provides various services for all diabetic patients, including establishing and managing health files, tracking and monitoring their condition, and offering free consultations. Since February of this year, the hospital and the community have implemented integrated management, opening a "green channel" for some patients with chronic diseases (such as hypertension and diabetes). At the same time, it also provides home visit services for community residents.