'Katakawan, katabaan, katamaran': Doctors say beat KKK to prevent heart disease, diabetes
MANILA, Philippines — With heart disease and diabetes as among the top causes of death in the Philippines in 2020 and 2021, doctors are sounding the alarm to take care of the public’s health.
Latest data from the Philippine Statistics Office show that ischemic heart disease was the top cause of death in the Philippines in 2020 and 2021.
In fact, the number increased from over 95,000 in 2020 to almost 126,000 in 2021. Meanwhile, fatalities from diabetes mellitus marked a 22% increase to 44,000 in 2021.
During the recent “Confessions of a Sweet Talker: How Your Sweet Tooth Can Cause Heartaches” media briefing, Philippine Heart Association Secretary Dr. Rodney Jimenez and Philippine College of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism president Dr. Carolyn Narvacan-Montano gave tips on how people can prevent heart disease and diabetes.
“I suggest to do my advocacy, the 5100 – five servings of fruits and vegetables per day, one hour of exercise or if you cannot do it at least one minute of every hour moving, kahit anong galaw lang; zero smoking and zero sugary beverages,” Dr. Jimenez said.
“Yung mga nasa work, every hour galaw naman kayo kasi you know, sitting is the new smoking so pareho siya ng smoking. 'Di ba nga 'yung ibang office nakatayo sila? May standing desk,” he added.
For her part, Dr. Montano said that there are three Ks to beat to prevent diabetes.
“Tatlong K ang dahilan kung bakit nagkakaroon ng diabetes: katakawan, katabaan at katamaran. If you’re going to beat that 3 Ks, mape-prevent natin 'yung mga chronic disease like diabetes and hypertension,” she said.
Echoing Jimenez's statement, Montano said she spends her afternoons in the clinic standing up.
“I have an adjustable desk so 'pag nangangalay na 'ko, ibababa ko lang siya. Most of my afternoon clinic is nakatayo. The reason for that is 'pag nangalay ka nang nakatayo, lalakad ka. 'Pag nangangalay kang nakaupo, mag-strestretch ka lang, so wala kang gaanong calorie loss,” she explained.
The forum is hosted by For Your Sweetheart Philippines, a nationwide movement among health industry stalwarts, initiated by Boehringer Ingelheim Philippines, to raise awareness on the critical link between diabetes and heart disease.
Speakers in the event also suggested to visit an online site to know the health risks they may have. One such tool, called the Framingham Assessment Test, is a Web-based written exam that computes the risk for developing cardiovascular disease based on a series of information, including cholesterol levels and blood pressure. The test is free and anyone aged 30 to 74 can take it to find out if they are at risk of getting a heart attack within 10 years.
“Accessible online tools like the Framingham Assessment Test help provide a picture of one’s health prior to consulting a doctor,” said Leyden Florido, President of Philippine Association of Diabetes Educators. “Results can be brought to a doctor for proper interpretation and necessary action.”
The Framingham Assessment Test takes only 10 minutes and can be found at www.foryoursweetheart.ph. Even people without a history of heart ailments are encouraged to take it.
First launched in 2020, For Your Sweetheart PH aims to continuously educate Filipinos about the correlation between diabetes and heart disease, as well as how to properly manage the condition. The campaign is supported by the Philippine Heart Association (PHA), the Philippine College of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism (PCEDM), Alliance of Clinical Endocrinologists (ACE), Diabetes Philippines (DP), Institute for the Studies of Diabetes Foundation (ISDF), Philippine Association for Diabetes Educators (PADE), and Philippine Alliance Patient Organizations (PAPO).
