ACCRA, Ghana (PANA) - About 12 percent of reported cases of diabetes in Ghana are among children, according to a public health specialist, Dr James Teprey.

He said these cases were mainly inherited.

"This juvenile onset (Type One) affects children aged 0 to about 16 years, who depend solely on insulin injection to control the disease," he said in an interview in Accra Monday.

Teprey noted that non-communicable diseases such as diabetes are on the increase globally and in Ghana diabetes has assumed epidemic proportions rising sharply in three years from the national prevalence rate of between 0.2 and 0.8 percent in 1997 to the current 4 percent.

"It is alarming to note that most of the new diabetes cases are to be found in developing countries such as Ghana, where some 30,000 people are known to be affected," he said.

Teprey observed that there is under reporting of cases in many parts of the country, adding that "the 30,000 reported cases do not include those who have not reported to health facilities and those who do not know they have the disease."

He said maturity onset -the Type Two diabetes, is mainly found among the ageing population, from 40 years and above.

"The adoption of unhealthy lifestyles and diets, including the consumption of fatty foods, excessive alcohol and little physical exercise are reasons for the upsurge of the disease," he explained.

He said a policy document to guide the management and control of diabetes is almost completed, adding that a national data- base for diabetes and other non- communicable diseases is also being established to identify the burden of disease and for monitoring trends.

Teprey noted that knowledge about the disease is so low that public education needs to be intensified hence the setting aside of the month of August each year to raise public awareness.

He said studies have shown that diabetes treatment costs between 1.6 million to 2.8 million cedis a year.

However Juliana Dadzie, a dietician, says there is hope of preventing diabetes through good dieting.

She said cases of inherited diabetes can be controlled or delayed through right feeding.

"Healthy eating involves the consumption of the right quantities of carbohydrates, proteins, vegetables, fruits and fats," she added.

Dadzie stressed the importance of the linkage between diet, diabetes and other non-communicable diseases, and said healthy eating should form the basis for avoiding diseases, such as diabetes.

"Irregular eating habits and high intake of sugary and fatty foods without regular body exercises, predispose one to become obese and prone to diabetes and other chronic conditions," she explained. "It is common these days to see people eating all sorts of foods because of affluence. Sometimes due to their busy schedules, people in offices end up skipping a main meal and going in for a soft drink and pastry on a regular basis."

She stressed the importance of eating the right foods not only in the right quantities but also at the right time.

"Diabetes, for instance, is a chronic condition where a person has too much glucose (sugar) in the blood," she added. "This glucose comes from all foods like starches, meat, fish, legumes, fats and oils. Eating the right type of food on time and in the right quantity helps in regulating the blood sugar."

She said diabetes, which is closely linked to heart disease, blindness and kidney failure, is a clinical syndrome characterised by high glucose levels in the blood.

Among the symptoms are frequent skin problems, wounds that do not heal early and frequent thirst and passing of urine.