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Diabetes is a rich man's illness: Argentina's president provokes outrage by saying illness afflicts the affluent because 'they eat so much and live sedentary lifestyles'
Cristina Kirchner said it 'was an affluent person's disease'
She made remarks during presentation on country's Science programme
People took to Twitter to express their shock and outrage




By Sean O'hare

PUBLISHED:00:33 GMT, 15 March 2013| UPDATED: 09:15 GMT, 15 March 2013


Argentina's president Cristina Kirchner has caused outrage by saying that diabetes afflicts the rich because 'they eat a lot and live sedentary lives'.

She revealed her ignorance of the illness on Tuesday during a presentation on the country's science technology and innovation programme, called 'Innovative Argentina 2020', which took place in her Buenos Aires presidential home La Casa Rosada.


After explaining that an Argentine laboratory was exploring and developing new treatments for diabetes that she hoped would help create jobs , she said: 'There are 80 million diabetics in the world and they also have high purchasing power', reported Argentine newspaper.


She added: 'Diabetes is an affluent person's disease because they are sedentary and eat a lot.'

Diabetes is a group of metabolic diseases in which a person has high blood sugar, either because the pancreas does not produce enough insulin, or because cells do not respond to the insulin that is produced.


As the news of the comments filtered out, people took to Twitter to express their disbelief and embarrassment, reported La Nacion.

One tweet read: 'This causes me so much shame' while another sarcastically said that while Venezuela's interim president Nicolás Maduro is talking about the importance of finding a cure for cancer, Kirchner is talking about diabetes and the upper class.'



It comes as President Kirchner welcomed the new Argentine Pope, Francis I, via a televised address in which she appeared to be gearing up to use his powerful new status to Argentina's advantage with regards the Falklands Islands.

In the address Ms Kirchner said she hoped the new Pope would 'take a message to the major world powers that they need to participate in dialogue.'


It is feared that if Argentinians interpret the latest development as an intervention by God on their side, it could be a catalyst for nationalism.



Tensions between Argentine and British governments grew last year as the 30th anniversary of the war for control of the South Atlantic islands approached.

Meanwhile military chiefs have drawn up plans for a 'show of force' to warn off any Buenos Aires sanctioned-aggression after Falkland Islanders voted to remain under UK sovereignty in a referendum this week.

After wishing her compatriot luck, Kirchner said: '(We hope) that (his mission) takes the message to the major powers in the world to participate in dialogue ... that the great powers in the world, who have arms and financial power, can be convinced to finally heed the emerging countries and that they commit to a dialogue of civilisations where things are resolved by diplomatic channels rather than by force.'


She added pointedly: 'We ask God that he help make it possible that just causes also sometimes triumph in this blessed land we call Earth, because I am sure that God and the Virgin also wish it so.'


President Kirchner's relationship with the former Archbishop of Buenos Aires has until now been thorny, the two having engaged in open battle over gay marriage.

Despite their apparent differences, the two share a hostile rhetoric when it comes to the islands. As recently as 2010 Bergoglio declared: ‘The Malvinas are ours.’


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... z2NiV4pDS1
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Actually, it affects the poor much more than the wealthy.

Lower wealth, but not income, may be associated with prevalent and incident diabetes among older adults in UK.

Income, wealth and risk of diabetes among older adults

Cudurka macaanko faro xun bu soomalidi ku haya, imsa qof bu ku dhacay

Diabetes is a disease of the rich (type II that is). there is no doubt it. the constellation of factors that predispose one to develop simply do not exist in poor countries (type II again).
here are the risk factors of type II diabetes (90% of diabetes overall)
weight
inactivity
age
family history (which likely has more to do with family tradition ie-fried chicken)


Diabetes is a disease of those who have access to lots of food, who can afford to sit a lot, and who have develop habits of eating greasy fried foods. All those factors maybe more common in the poor of the rich countries, they are still lifestyles affordable only to citizens of the first world.

Talo alle udaa wrote:Diabetes is a disease of the rich (type II that is). there is no doubt it. the constellation of factors that predispose one to develop simply do not exist in poor countries (type II again).
here are the risk factors of type II diabetes (90% of diabetes overall)
weight
inactivity
age
family history (which likely has more to do with family tradition ie-fried chicken)


Diabetes is a disease of those who have access to lots of food, who can afford to sit a lot, and who have develop habits of eating greasy fried foods. All those factors maybe more common in the poor of the rich countries, they are still lifestyles affordable only to citizens of the first world.

Not true.Diabetes is a disease of the poor and uneducated.The rich can afford food,the good one.They are more likely to maintain healthy lifestyle and reach for an apple instead of a donut.

Tuushi, read what i wrote. I said poor people in rich countries.


The reality is, it's lifestyle & ignorance combined with access to fatty foods. This does not occur in Africa nor any 3rd world countries. Diabetes is an epidemic in the U.S. for a reason, not malaria.

^^^ Sorry,i missed tht part.

I dislike saying it but laziness does play a very big role as well.

I think it's far more complicated than "laziness". When you can get a double cheeseburger for $1.87 and a 2L pop for $0.99, it's more a question of budget than anything else.

True.But when ur doc tells u ur pre diabetic and choose not to do anything abt it,whats ur excuse?

I knw it is easier and prettier on paper but most new cases of type 2 diabetics are folks who have the resources and potential to change their lifestyle.