Once back at work, Sumon spends most of his day in front of a computer, rarely taking breaks. His job also involves considerable stress.
“One day, my office arranged a diabetes test, and I reluctantly took part,” he told The Daily Star recently. “I was shocked when the results showed that my blood sugar level was very high. I had no idea I had diabetes. Now I have to manage it carefully.”
Health experts say lifestyles like Sumon’s — marked by long hours of sitting, stress and unhealthy eating — are a direct path to diabetes.
Like him, thousands of people are developing diabetes due to poor lifestyle choices, unhealthy diets, stressful office environments and a lack of awareness, experts said.
According to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), about 1.38 crore people in Bangladesh have diabetes. However, health experts believe the actual number is higher, posing a serious burden on the healthcare system and economy.