WORLD DIABETIES DAY-2012

WORLD DIABETIES DAY-2012

World Diabetes Day was first conceived in 1991 to increase awareness about this metabolic disorder. An estimated 346 million people around the world suffer from diabetes and India has more patients than any other. Once exclusive to the urban areas, even rural India is being affected by the disease and there’s a shocking lack of awareness about it. An estimated 85% people in urban areas never get their blood levels checked. Ignorance is very dangerous because it can lead to various complications.

It is a metabolic disease which is characterised by high blood sugar levels. This is caused either due to the lack of insulin (type 1 diabetes) or because the body’s cells fail to respond to the insulin produced (type 2 diabetes). The hormone insulin is responsible for breaking down glucose and when it fails to do so the body starts using fats. Some of the common symptoms of diabetes are hunger, frequent urination and increased thirst. There’s a third type of diabetes is called gestational diabetes and occurs in pregnant women. While type 1 is usually genetic, type 2 is mostly caused due to obesity and other lifestyle factors.

So what are the symptoms of diabetes?

It has three classic symptoms – frequent urination, increased thirst and increased appetite. Other symptoms can include

Living with diabetes

Diabetes is not an unmanageable disease. Some basic lifestyle modifications – like diet and exercise, avoiding smoking and alcohol and frequently checking your blood glucose levels can go a long way in managing these symptoms There’s a general consensus that avoiding sweets and other sugary food items is enough for diabetics. That is not the case. Patients will need to address their entire eating habits. Ideally, they should eat at least five meals a day and put more complex carbs on their plate.The World Diabetes Day 2012 campaign marks the fourth year of the five-year focus on “Diabetes education and prevention.”

Following the United Nations Summit on NCDs in 2011, there is an urgent need to continue and strengthen the momentum generated by the event and widen the awareness of the factors responsible for the global diabetes and NCD epidemic and the solutions that are required to counter it. It is important to appeal to the hearts of concerned individuals and the general public to achieve these goals.The World Diabetes Day 2012 campaign will link the urgent need for action to the protection of the health of our future generations. Particular focus will be placed on highlighting the importance of education - for health professionals, people with diabetes and people at risk – in reducing the impact of diabetes throughout the world.The campaign aims to EDUCATE, ENGAGE and EMPOWER youth and the general public on diabetes The slogan chosen for the campaign is:

DIABETES: PROTECT OUR FUTURE

The 2012 campaign will have a special focus on children and young people as the driving force for the promotion and dissemination of education and prevention messages that we hope will inspire and engage local communities to recognise the importance of early awareness of the risks and dangers of diabetes. The aim is to build awareness among children and young people of the warning signs and risk factors for diabetes and that in many cases type 2 diabetes can be prevented through healthy eating and physical activity.The three key messages of the campaign are:Access to essential education for everyone*The way we live is putting our health at risk *People with diabetes face stigma and discrimination

Prof. John Kurakar