A charity organisation, promoting awareness against non-communicable diseases (NCD), has released a slogan that screening of blood pressure and blood sugar should start from the 20s.

The slogan: “Screen for NCD by Twenty/Add healthy years, a plenty” was released at the annual summit of Metta Dana Foundation earlier this month.

“The onset of ailments related to high blood sugar levels or high pressure are being seen in people from their teens. We recommend that young people start screening for these parameters in their 20s. Once the diseases set in, you can only control them. We want them to prevent the diseases,” said Debasis Basu, a diabetologist and chairman of the foundation.

The foundation funds the insulin requirement of many children and homeless people suffering from Type 1 diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes is a condition in which the pancreas doesn’t make insulin or makes very little insulin, a hormone that helps blood sugar enter the cells for use as energy, according to the website of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Without insulin, sugar cannot enter cells and builds up in the bloodstream. High blood sugar levels are harmful to the body.

“Since insulin is very expensive, many cannot afford to buy it though it is a life-saver. We help them by providing free insulin. We request all to come forward and donate so that we can buy more insulin for the underprivileged,” said Basu.

The website of the World Health Organisation (WHO) says that “the main types of NCD are cardiovascular diseases (such as heart attacks and stroke), cancers, chronic respiratory diseases (such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma) and diabetes.” It adds: “These ... account for over 80 per cent of all premature NCD deaths.”