Teen angst can be tough enough to handle on its own, without being told you have type 1 diabetes. Instead of letting a diagnosis rock her world, however, 14-year-old Bella Pearson, who's a student at the International School of Choueifat, Dubai, turned it into an opportunity to promote a healthy lifestyle to her peers.
“I’m the first person in my family to have diabetes and it was a shock at first, especially because I thought I was healthy and eating the right things,” she says.
The latest diabetes report in April from the World Health Organization showed that there are currently 442 million people with the disease worldwide, with nearly one million resident in the UAE.
According to 2015 data from the International Diabetes Federation, diabetes affects 19.3 per cent of the UAE population, putting us 14th place in the global ranking for countries with the highest prevalence per capita.
This puts Bella in the hot seat when it comes to spreading awareness.
She has transitioned from having a passion for cooking, backed by a junior-chef qualification from Dubai’s School of Culinary and Finishing Arts, into becoming a resident teen masterchef and ambassadorial role with the Al Islami Kids Club. It has given her the chance to share her personal experience with youngsters across the emirate.
“When I was first diagnosed, I thought it would completely change my life, but I’ve realised it isn’t as big a deal as that, and I’ve really only had to adjust my food habits and understanding of what I eat,” she says.
“It’s all about finding a balance. When you’re diabetic, you have to really analyse your intake of carbs, proteins and sugar etc, so when I look at a plate of food, I see numbers that I need to calculate,” she adds.
Bella works with the team at Al Islami Foods to develop healthy family-friendly recipes, as well as being the teen face of the brand at public events from food festivals to its Dubai and Sharjah School Invasion programme, which targets ages 6 to 12, and the recently launched Mall Invasion event series.
Aisha Almheiri, deputy manager at the General Women’s Union of Abu Dhabi, is planning to bring the Mall Invasion team to the capital in March for a one-day traditional food festival at Al Bateen Beach.
“It’s important that we involve children and the whole family in following a healthy diet, especially when issues like diabetes and obesity affect such a high percentage of the UAE population,” Almheiri says.
“It’s too easy for kids to eat the wrong foods, and we want to highlight traditional Emirati cuisine, but also focus on making the right choices, and this is something that many mothers need help with,” she adds.
Bella’s public show-and-tell sessions do just that, as she explains: “I show them what is a good versus bad lunch box; the right way to balance your nutritional requirements; and we also give them my recipe book to take home and share with the family.”
The response so far has been overwhelmingly positive, she says, and she believes that it’s not only her personal story that’s helping to drive home the healthy-eating message.
“I know that if I was younger, I would be far more receptive to someone on my level, rather than an adult, telling me what I should and shouldn’t eat,” Bella says.
Brent Pearson, chief financial officer for Al Islami Foods, who also happens to be Bella’s father, agrees: “As parents, we all know that if you tell your child they have to do something they often do the opposite, so having teen chefs that kids can look up to makes it easier to engage and educate a younger audience.”
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Healthy after-school snacking ideas:
Frozen banana ice cream bites
Chop a banana into several small chunks, insert a toothpick or ice cream stick and freeze for one to two hours.
Crunchy roasted chickpeas
Drain a can of chickpeas, then pat dry with kitchen towel. Spread on a foil-covered baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Bake for 30 minutes at 400°C.
Fruit skewers
Thread pieces of your favourite fruit and/or berries onto a skewer for a colourful, easy-to-eat snack.
Popcorn
Pop a cup of corn, then serve minus salt or caramel for a child-friendly pre-dinner fix.
Apple dippers
Cut a crisp, fresh apple into wedges, dip one corner into melted dark chocolate and finish with a dusting of crushed almonds or peanuts.
• Courtesy Bella Pearson
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Healthy motivation
Five fun apps and games that teach children about healthy eating:
Hungry Harry
Created by Dubai teenager Navin Valrani, this free game-based iOS app helps children learn about good and bad nutritional choices in a fun way.
What’s On Your Plate, Kids?
Put your favourite foods in the correct food groups to score points on the Yum-O-Meter.
• www.healthyactivekids.com.au/teachers/online-games/whats-plate-kids
mySugr
Created to help diabetics keep on top of their diet, this free (with paid add-ons) iOS and Android app acts as a handy tracker meets food detective.
Crunch a Color
In this healthy-eating game for ages 4 and up, children can earn points at the dinner table for eating their veggies, trying new foods and displaying good manners.
• Available at www.amazon.com
Rise
Snap a picture of each meal to send to an appointed nutritionist, who will pinpoint problem areas and provide healthy eating advice, via this paid iOS app.
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