Today [14 NOV] is WORLD DIABETES DAY
From World Diabetes Day
DIABETES: PROTECT YOUR FAMILY
The theme for diabetes awareness month and World Diabetes Day 2019 is Family and Diabetes.
IDF is raising awareness of the impact that diabetes has on the family and support network of those affected, and promoting the role of the family in the management, care, prevention and education of diabetes.
Families are urged to learn more about the warning signs of diabetes and find out their risk of type 2 diabetes. Research conducted by IDF in 2018 discovered that parents would struggle to spot this serious life-long condition in their own children. Despite the majority of people surveyed having a family member with diabetes, an alarming four-in-five parents would have trouble recognising the warning signs. One-in-three wouldn’t spot them at all.
The findings underline the need for education and awareness to help people spot the diabetes warning signs early.
A lack of knowledge about diabetes means that spotting the warning signs is not just a problem for parents, but is an issue impacting a cross-section of society. This is a major concern, due to the signs being milder in type 2 diabetes, the most prevalent form of the condition, responsible for around 90% of all diabetes. One in two people currently living with diabetes are undiagnosed. The vast majority of these have type 2 diabetes.
Left untreated or unmanaged, diabetes can lead to life-changing complications. These include blindness, amputation, kidney failure, heart attack and stroke.Diabetes was responsible for four million deaths in 2017.
This November, IDF is urging people to test their diabetes knowledge and assess their risk of type 2 diabetes through an online quiz and assessment.
View WDD 2019 campaign resources and find out how you can help spread the word about diabetes in November.
