Physical inactivity and diabetes: the urgent need to link

The President of Diabetes Quebec, Serge Langlois, visited in Abitibi-Témiscamingue to raise awareness about the negative impact of modern lifestyle on health. An estimated 650 to 000 the number of diabetics in Quebec. Of these, approximately 200 000 are unaware of their condition. Diabetes is yet one of the leading causes of blindness, amputations and kidney failure, in addition to representing an important factor in cardiovascular disease. The latest figures dénombrent not less than 6,900 diabetics in Abitibi-Témiscamingue aged 20 and over. Aboriginal people are also at particular risk of developing the disease. Currently, 14% of area youth are obese, which gives the region the grim results of the third largest region of Quebec. However, obesity is an important factor in the onset of diabetes, whose prevalence is increasing among children and adolescents. For Serge Langlois, it is necessary to go back at our lifestyle. "The pace of modern life, often associated with progress, is very unhealthy," says he. "It is not necessary to run 10 miles every day to be healthy. Simply walk, while minimal attention to our diet, "says Langlois. In his lecture, President of Diabetes Québec has shown some examples, like a street photographed 100 years ago, and even today. Formerly, there were people everywhere in the picture, today, no one, but we see a multitude of cars. "I do not need to get rid of his car, I only say that it is easy to walk ten or fifteen minutes and you can choose smaller portions when feeding. Why take the biggest popcorn movie, "says he.