A bowl of steaming rice is always on the table in Chinese families. However, Aunt Zhang has recently become worried, her blood sugar is still high, and the doctor told her to control her diet, especially rice intake. Her Japanese friend Oda is quite relaxed, "I eat rice every day, and the results of the physical examination are still as good as ever." ”
This made Aunt Zhang puzzled, why she also loves rice, but she is more likely to get diabetes than Xiao Tian? In fact, the answer may be hidden in the depths of the daily dinner plate.
1. The effect of rice consumption on diabetes
You say rice, eating too much is naturally easy to push up blood sugar. The protagonist of rice is carbohydrates, which can be converted into glucose and enter the bloodstream soon after eating. When blood sugar rises quickly, insulin secretion has to work overtime, and after a long time, pancreatic islet function may be problematic.
This logic can be understood even by elementary school students, but the question is, why are we Chinese prone to diabetes when we eat rice, and Japanese people are relatively safe?
Let's talk about what this "eating too much" is all about. The data shows that Chinese generally have a higher carbohydrate intake than Japanese.
Rice is almost indispensable on the dining table of many Chinese families, and it is eaten in large bowls. Coupled with the fast pace of life in modern society, many people use a large bowl of white rice with one or two side vegetables for a meal in order to save trouble.
Not to mention anything else, if we just look at the amount and eat more, the blood sugar will rise faster, which is not difficult to understand why we are more likely to get diabetes than the Japanese.
But this amount is only the tip of the iceberg, and the real crux lies in the difference in the type of rice and how to eat it.
2. Differences in dietary structure
Let's talk about the diet. This thing sounds lofty, but it's actually a question of what we eat and how we eat it. When Japanese people eat rice, they like to use short-grain rice, which is not very well processed, and it is called sticky rice, and it tastes really good.
Most of the time we Chinese eat long-grain rice, the degree of processing is relatively high, the fiber is almost made, and the blood sugar response index (GI value) is relatively high.
Speaking of this glycemic response index, it is a big role. A high GI means that blood sugar rises rapidly, which is a challenge for insulin secretion.
Long-term high GI diet can easily lead to insulin resistance, which is commonly known as "tolerance" problems, and over time, diabetes will quietly come to the door.
In addition to rice, the Japanese diet also includes protein-rich seafood and soy products, as well as a variety of fresh vegetables. This combination can alleviate the sharp rise in blood sugar, because protein and fiber have a regulatory effect on the rate of blood sugar rise.
In our traditional Chinese eating habits, especially in the north, the proportion of staple foods may be higher. Coupled with the westernization trend of modern diet, the increase in high-calorie, high-fat food intake is the driving force behind the increase in the incidence of diabetes in Chinese.
3. Differences in lifestyle
Lifestyle is one of the important factors affecting health, and different lifestyle habits and environment are directly related to the health status of individuals. For example, differences in dietary habits can have a profound impact on cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and certain types of cancer.
Studies have shown that the Mediterranean diet, rich in preserved fruits, nuts, whole grains, and fish, is strongly associated with a lower incidence of cardiovascular disease.
Conversely, high-fat, high-sugar diets are associated with a variety of health problems, such as the higher rates of cardiovascular disease and obesity in North America.
In addition to diet, the amount of physical activity you do is also an important health factor. For example, lifestyles that lack sufficient exercise, such as long hours of sitting for work and highly dependent vehicle modes of transportation, have been shown to be associated with an increased risk of several chronic diseases.
Conversely, people whose lives include regular physical activity, such as those in Europe, who often walk or cycle, generally have better overall health.
Environmental factors, such as the air quality and water quality of the place where you live, also have a significant impact on lifestyle and health. Long-term exposure to highly polluted environments, such as some industrialized cities, can lead to increased rates of respiratory diseases and cardiovascular problems.
Clean living environments, ample green spaces, and high standards of sanitation are all important factors in supporting a healthy lifestyle.
4. Genetic and environmental factors
The interaction between genes and environment is one of the hot spots in modern medical research. Genetic factors provide a fundamental explanation for understanding individual health differences, for example, specific genetic variants such as BRCA1 and BRCA2 are associated with a higher risk of breast and ovarian cancer.
However, genetic information alone cannot fully predict the occurrence of disease, and the role of environmental factors cannot be ignored.
Environmental factors include, but are not limited to, living habits, socio-economic status, and working and living environments. For example, smoking is recognized as a major risk factor for lung cancer, and this risk is particularly significant in those with lung cancer susceptibility genes.
This suggests that lifestyle choices can exacerbate or alleviate genetically predetermined disease risk to some extent.
In addition, from an epigenetic perspective, environmental factors are able to indirectly alter an individual's health status by influencing gene expression.
For example, long-term psychological stress can affect gene expression by altering hormone levels, which in turn increases the risk of cardiovascular disease.
5. The role of socio-economic factors
Socioeconomic factors undoubtedly play a crucial role when discussing health issues. Economic conditions have a direct impact on individuals and their families' ability to access health care, quality of life, and long-term health outcomes.
Studies have shown that members of low-income households are more likely to develop chronic diseases than members of high-income households, due in large part to the lack of basic health facilities and the lack of access to high-quality food.
In addition, education level is also one of the key socioeconomic factors that determine health behavior and health status, and the more educated people are, the better they are able to access and process health information, and are more likely to take preventive measures to avoid disease.
Social determinants of health include a safe living environment, social and community support networks, and favourable working conditions. Ignoring these factors in urban planning and policy-making can exacerbate social inequalities and further affect the health of vulnerable groups.
Policymakers need to recognize the link between economic growth and people's health, and promote health for all by supporting education and improving housing and employment conditions.
6. Prevention strategies and recommendations
Effective prevention strategies are essential to address current public health challenges. First of all, strengthening public health education and popularizing basic health and hygiene knowledge is the foundation.
Through the media, school education and community activities, people's awareness of health problems and their ability to protect themselves can be effectively improved.
Secondly, it is recommended that the government and relevant agencies provide more support, such as free health screening services, vaccinations, and mental health support, especially for low-income and vulnerable groups.
At the same time, cross-sectoral collaboration, such as between the public health sector and the education, housing and labour sectors, should be promoted to build a supportive social structure.
In addition, businesses and the private sector should be encouraged to participate in public health by investing in health education and community health facilities through CSR projects.
summary
By implementing effective prevention strategies, public health can be significantly improved and health inequalities can be reduced. Health is the cornerstone of the sustained and stable development of society, which requires the joint efforts of the whole society.
As we look to the future, we need to innovate solutions to overcome challenges and build a healthier world for all.