KARACHI, Dec 3: Highlighting the causes of endocrine disease (unbalancing of the hormones secreting glands) in human beings and its prevention, senior physicians have said that lifestyle changes along with less use of fast food and packed juices can help avert the disease.

Speaking at a press conference at the Karachi Press Club on Monday, the experts said that diseases and disorders of the endocrine system included diabetes and hypothyroidism with the former prevailing at an alarming rate of 10 per cent involving almost 20 million people in Pakistan.

Dow Institute of Diabetes and Endocrinology Director Prof Zaman Shaikh said that the Pakistan Endocrine Society (PES) would hold its 10th annual symposium on the theme ‘Promoting Hormone Health’ on Dec 8 and 9 to create awareness about endocrine diseases among medical professionals and the masses.

Three pre-symposium workshops would be also arranged on the topics of thyroid nodules, evaluation of short stature and diabetic foot, he said.

Among others, he added, noted scholars and experts from the UAE and Saudi Arabia would participate in the symposium.

He said that apart from plenary art lectures, a satellite symposium from Dubai on “Translating diabetes care from guidelines to practice” would be arranged. He said the PES annual symposium 2012 was aimed at providing a multidisciplinary approach to assessment, diagnosis and treatment of common endocrine disorders.

Prof Dr Najmul Islam of the symposium organising committee and PES Secretary Prof Qamar Masood said that change in public lifestyle, environmental pollution, obesity and genetic problems were the major causes of the increase in number of diabetes cases in the country, whereas fast food and tinned and canned juices and carbonated drinks were also seen adding to the problems.

According to the experts, the prevalence of diabetes in Pakistan is rising due to unhealthy lifestyle and poor healthcare facilities, adds PPI.

Constant tension increased the risk of diabetes among the people, they said, highlighting the need for raising awareness among the masses to save them from chronic diseases such as diabetes. Dr Najmul Islam said that hormones disorders were the main cause of obesity, menstrual disturbances, short stature and diabetes among the people. He added that disorders of hormones were controlled through injection.

Dr Qamar Masood said regular consumption of fast food, industrialisation and change in lifestyle had increased the risks of this disease. He urged the masses to adopt simple lifestyle, 35-minute daily exercise and use of fruit and vegetables in daily diet to save themselves from the diseases.

According to the organisers, the inauguration ceremony of the symposium will be held on Dec 8. Dr Mohammad Ahmed from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will deliver keynote address on ‘Challenges in the management of thyroid cancer’ and Dr Hameed Farooqi from Dubai, the UAE, will be guest speaker.

Other national and international endocrinologists will also deliver lectures on following topics: metabolic bone disease in children, obesity, insulin therapy and menstrual disturbances along with polycystic ovarian syndrome.