Although obesity and Type 2 diabetes were almost unknown among Ethiopian Jews before their aliya, they have become increasingly common here, but the immigrants are receiving inadequate medical care for the condition, according to a new study by Dr. Anat Jaffe, head of the diabetes and endocrinology unit at Hillel Jaffe Medical Center in Hadera.Her study was presented on Tuesday in the Knesset at a special meeting to establish a lobby for the struggle against obesity and diabetes, initiated by physician and Kadima MK Rachel Adatto.RELATED:Surgeons pioneer new ways to treat diabetes Cinnamon lowers BP but not blood sugar console.log("catid body is "+catID);if(catID==120){document.getElementsByClassName("divConnatix")[0].style.display ="none";var script = document.createElement('script'); script.src = 'https://player.anyclip.com/anyclip-widget/lre-widget/prod/v1/src/lre.js'; script.setAttribute('pubname','jpostcom'); script.setAttribute('widgetname','0011r00001lcD1i_12258'); document.getElementsByClassName('divAnyClip')[0].appendChild(script);}else if(catID!=69 && catID!=2){ document.getElementsByClassName("divConnatix")[0].style.display ="none"; var script = document.createElement('script'); script.src = 'https://static.vidazoo.com/basev/vwpt.js'; script.setAttribute('data-widget-id','60fd6becf6393400049e6535'); document.getElementsByClassName('divVidazoo')[0].appendChild(script); }According to the study, only 0.4 percent of Ethiopian immigrants had Type 2 diabetes when they came on aliya, but this grew to 8.9% four years after their arrival. Seven years after immigration, the rate among the former immigrants rose to 9.6%, said Jaffe. Between 10 and 16 years after aliya, the rate grew to 16.6%. This is the result of adopting a diet that is not nutritious, with too much sugar, white flour and other processed foods instead of more expensive vegetables, fruits, pulses and fish.While 92% of the general population with diabetes said they understand most of their doctors’ explanations about the condition, only 48% of the Ethiopian immigrants agreed with that statement. Nurses’ explanations of the disease and how to handle it were understandable to only 26% of the immigrants with diabetes, compared to 47% of diabetics in the general population.Clinical dietitians did better, with 45% of the immigrants understanding their information and instructions, compared to 98% among patients in the general population.But pharmacists didn’t get their message across; only 18% of the immigrants understood, compared to 79% of veteran Israelis with the condition.It is known around the world that the poor and uneducated are more likely to contract the chronic disease than the well-off and educated, who are more likely to exercise and eat nutritious – and more expensive – food.