The Ministry of Health today (Monday) publishes disturbing data regarding the consumption of harmful food and drink and the prevalence rates of diabetes among the ultra-Orthodox public. According to data from the Nutrition Division (according to the Brookdale survey), high consumption of harmful foods was found to be significantly higher among families in the ultra-Orthodox community compared to the general public.
For example, 78% of ultra-Orthodox households buy sweet pastries compared to 60% of the general public, 89% of ultra-Orthodox families buy sweet snacks compared to 74% of the general public. But above all in drinking habits, the ultra-Orthodox public leads in the purchase of sweet drinks at a rate of 79% compared to 51% in the general public.
It should be noted that in an expenditure survey published by the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), it was found that an ultra-Orthodox family spends about NIS 90 a month on sugary drinks (about 14 1.5-liter bottles), compared to a family in the general public that spends about NIS 65 a month. -10 1.5 liter bottles).
The habits of consuming sugary drinks in the ultra-Orthodox community along with sweets and snacks are assimilated as a ‘Dinkota version’ from early childhood, as a reward and reward, in the family, in kindergartens, in Talmud Torah, and later in life in educational institutions, yeshivas, kollels, Saturdays and holidays, celebrations and memorials.
Consumption of sugary and sweetened beverages, sweets and snacks increases the risk of many patient conditions including diabetes.
The situation is even more worrying when examining the data of the National Diabetes Registrar, which show that among the ultra-Orthodox public, diabetes rates are significantly higher than in the general Jewish public.
According to the data, the largest gap is at the age of 25-34, according to which a young ultra-Orthodox young person is 15 times more likely to develop diabetes than a young Jew of a non-ultra-Orthodox age.
The Ministry of Health notes that a systematic plan is currently being formulated that includes the recruitment of influential factors in the community, who, along with professionals, will help change existing social norms that charge a heavy health price, and stop the spread of diabetes in ultra-Orthodox society.