Diabetes prevention through higher taxes?

Better Diabetes Prevention and Therapy Required

03/28/2012

The massive increase in diabetes is not only a problem for those affected but will lead to significant financial bottlenecks in the coming decades. Experts warn against a bankruptcy of the health care system should the rise in diabetes continue.

Doctors and politicians therefore demanded last week in a panel discussion on the occasion of the launch of the campaign „Patient Journey“ In Berlin, a kind of national action plan, with bans on advertising, higher taxes and clearer labeling of foodstuffs, as well as increased information campaigns on the risks and preventative measures for diabetes.

Lack of exercise and unhealthy diet as diabetes risk factors
Lack of exercise and unhealthy diets are considered to be major risk factors for diabetes and are held responsible for the fact that hundreds of people in Germany are newly diagnosed with diabetes every day. A total of 700 new cases are to be found here in Germany per day, which would mean a narrow doubling of diabetes patients from now about 7.5 million to over 14 million by 2030, according to the statement of the experts at the start of the campaign „Patient Journey“ in Berlin. The Berlin-based Charité and the pharmaceutical company Lilly initiated the campaign to improve the treatment of diabetes patients on the one hand and to focus on prevention options on the other hand. At several events, diabetes experts and politicians will discuss prevention and therapeutic approaches through the campaign. In terms of diabetes therapy, the main question was which treatment could be used to avoid more serious health consequences of diabetes, such as a heart attack, stroke, blindness, foot amputations or kidney failure, the participants of the panel discussion explained last week. Another problem that faces the „Patient Journey“ Dedicated to the campaign, the experts named the training of the future required number of diabetologists.

Preventing Diabetes
In the possible prevention of diabetes, the participants in the panel discussion took quite different approaches, ranging from a prohibition of advertising on the so-called traffic light labeling or banishment of sodas from schools to higher taxes and a National Action Plan. As the „Doctors newspaper“ reported the spokesman for health policy of the CDU parliamentary group, Jens Spahn, in the context of the discussion, for a lack of movement and unhealthy diet and the associated problem of obesity in general to raise the issue and in this way to improve diabetes prevention. As a positive example, Spahn called Finland where policy makers and industry had worked together to reduce salt levels in foods to lower the overall risk of high blood pressure and strokes. This was achieved in Finland within ten years. So demanded Spahn the „Players in federal and state governments“ as well as the industry and companies to work together with the Federal Center for Health Education (BZgA) to develop a national concept for exercise and healthy nutrition.

Traffic light labeling of food demanded
The spokeswoman for consumer policy in the parliamentary group of Alliance 90 / The Greens, Nicole Maisch, criticized that of the approaches described in the current nutrition policy of the federal government is nothing to be found again. Maisch again campaigned for the so-called traffic light labeling of foodstuffs, which would enable consumers to read the sugar, fat, salt and calorie content of food relatively easily. However, this solution was prevented by the CDU, FDP and the industry. The consumer-political spokeswoman of the Greens also criticized massively the current labeling of food. „With today's mandatory GDA label, I could also write the information in Finnish, no one understands it“, so the statement of Maisch. This actually exist „many approaches that cost nothing, but we are not ambitious enough“, said Nicole Maisch.

Diabetes experts disappointed in politics
The diabetologist Professor Thomas Danne from Hanover comes to a similar assessment from the board of the German Diabetes Aid „diabetesDE“. The expert stressed that he „mercilessly disappointed with the policy“ and in the current discussion, the topic of the social gap is much too short. Because „Earners“ usually would know, „How to prevent obesity and diabetes, but the others can not“, explained Prof. Danne. The diabetologist therefore advocated the taxation of particularly sugary foods in order to reduce their consumption and to protect people from the consequences of the unhealthy diet. Furthermore, a restriction of advertising, especially in so-called children's food is urgently needed.

Problem with unhealthy children food
The consumer organization Foodwatch reiterated the problem of special children's foods only at the beginning of the month, pointing out that „the supply of children's food nutritionally exactly the opposite of it“ corresponded, „What nutrition experts recommend for a balanced diet of children.“ In the Foodwatch market check, all the products made especially for children were too greasy, too sweet, or contained too many artificial flavors, according to the consumer protection claim. In addition, the children would lured with elaborate advertising campaigns to them so „program (as early as possible) on unhealthy junk food“, Because this makes it compared to fruit or vegetables significantly more money, said Anne Markwardt of the consumer organization Foodwatch.

Quality standards at school lunches and expansion of school sports required
In order to remedy the lack of exercise of adolescents, Prof. Danne called for one hour of school sports every day. For example, it could be guaranteed from the school's side that the children in each case move sufficiently. According to the experts, nutrition can also be influenced within the school. Here, certain quality standards in the school catering must be complied with and at the school kiosks or in the refectories, a ban on the sale of sugary sodas should apply, said the expert. However, the diabetologist sees opportunities not only in schools for improved diabetes prevention, but also in the companies. However, according to the statement of the President of the Association of German Plant and Medical Doctors e.V. Wolfgang Panter, a clear target.

Diabetes prevention in the plants
In principle, Dr. According to Wolfgang Panter, for example, there are actions to prevent obesity among the trainees or the entire workforce, but if the company doctors organize something here, reimbursement by the health insurance companies often becomes a problem because the parties are insured with various health insurance companies. In the opinion of the expert, this requires an overarching campaign comparable to non-smoker protection in order to achieve sustainable success. Like the unhealthy diet today, smoking has been fully accepted for many years and even in the schoolyards there was a smoking area. „20 years ago, I got a bloody nose when it came to non-smoker protection in companies. With today's regulations, we already have ten percent fewer smokers in operation“, stressed Panter. (Fp)

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