Diabetes: Know your risk, know your response
World Diabetes Day (WDD) is the largest diabetes awareness campaign in the world. It is marked every year on November 14.
Launched in 1991 by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and the World Health Organization (WHO), World Diabetes Day is a global occasion on which people with diabetes, health professionals, diabetes advocates, media, the general public and government organisations unite to raise awareness of diabetes.
2023 marks the third and final year of the 2021-23 theme access to diabetes care. This year’s campaign focuses on the importance of knowing your risk of type 2 diabetes to help delay or prevent the condition and highlighting the impact of diabetes-related complications and the importance of having access to the right information and care to ensure timely treatment and management.
In many cases, type 2 diabetes and its complications can be delayed or prevented by adopting and maintaining healthy habits.
When not detected and treated early, diabetes can lead to serious and potentially life-threatening complications. These include loss of vision, cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, nerve damage and complications in pregnancy.
Unfortunately, many people with diabetes are often diagnosed late, when they already have one or more diabetes-related complications. This can lead to an increased need for medical care, reduced quality of life and even premature death.
Key messages for people at risk
– Almost half of all people with diabetes are currently undiagnosed.
– The symptoms of type 2 diabetes can be mild or absent. People affected can live several years with the condition before being diagnosed.
– Many people are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes when one or more complications are already present.
– Knowing your risk and the right response can help delay or prevent type 2 diabetes and its complications.
The IDF type 2 diabetes risk assessment tool can provide support and guidance.
What role does diabetes education play?
The Diabetes Challenge: A Global Issue
In the UK alone, 16.7 million people either have type 2 diabetes or are at risk (Diabetes UK, 2019). However, diabetes is a global concern, with approximately 463 million adults living with the condition worldwide. Projections indicate that this number will rise to 700 million by 2045 (IDF, 2020). People living with diabetes often have limited interaction with healthcare professionals, making self-management crucial.
Proven Clinical Effectiveness: Making a Difference
At X-PERT Health, we take pride in delivering effective approaches that significantly impact people’s lives. Our annual audits consistently show that our programs help individuals lose weight, improve HbA1c levels, reduce medications, and even put conditions like prediabetes and type 2 diabetes into remission. We believe in education, not medication, as a means of reducing healthcare costs.
