LAGOS, Nov. 18 (Xinhua) -- Nigeria's Minister of Health Babatunde Osotimehin has said more than 4 million Nigerians are suffering from diabetes.

    Osotimehin disclosed this at the 2009 World Diabetes Day celebrations on Tuesday in Abuja, saying that 20 percent of the population is aware they are diabetic.

    The minister said the celebration was to draw attention of the governments, communities and individuals to the increasing burden of diabetes through education and prevention.

    According to him, diabetes are a leading cause of blindness, kidney failure, heart attack, stroke and amputation, adding that more than 260 million people globally are living with diabetes.

    “The onset of type II diabetes which is associated with adults is estimated to begin four to seven years before clinical diagnosis and because of this 50 percent goes undiagnosed,” the News Agency of Nigeria quoted him as saying.

    The minister lamented that the risk of developing diabetes is on the increase, saying itis estimated that more than 344 million people worldwide are at risk for type II diabetes.

    He said helping and encouraging those at risk to maintain a healthy weight by taking regular exercise could prevent its progression.

    “Some of the risk factors for type II diabetes include obesity, overweight, lack of exercise, previously identified glucose intolerance, unhealthy diets, advancing age, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, family history of diabetes and a history of gestational diabetes,” he added.

    “The symptoms of diabetes include excessive thirst, frequent urination, increased hunger, weight loss, tiredness, lack of interest and concentration, vomiting, abdominal pain, tangling sensation or numbness in the hands or feet and blurred vision,” he said.

    According to the minister, others are recurrent infections, delay healing of wounds, erectile dysfunction and high birth weight.

    He contended that some patients might however, show no symptoms but are diagnosed incidentally of which some of them might come down with features of complications such as kidneys disease or eye disease.

    “There is substantial evidence that achieving a healthy body weight and moderate physical activity can help prevent the development of type II diabetes,” he added.

    “At least 30 minutes of daily exercise such as brisk walking, swimming, cycling or dancing have been shown to reduce the risk of type II diabetes by 35- 40 percent,” he said.

    “This means that proper lifestyle changes, targeting individuals at high risk and deploying suitable environmental changes may significantly improve the life of diabetics,'' he said.

    Osotimehin said the ministry is intensifying effort to sensitize the public through mass awareness creation, workshops and symposium on the prevention and control of diabetes.