Diabetes UK Awareness - Are you at risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes?

As you are probably aware, as a result of Covid-19 our Government are urging the Country to think about health & lifestyle choices to help you fight disease easier & reduce the risk of becoming very unwell. Preventing Type 2 Diabetes is a key feature of this drive. Every 2 minutes someone finds out that they have Type 2 Diabetes. It can be a very serious condition but there's lots you can do to reduce your risk of developing it.

 

It is now known that patients who have blood sugars at the higher end of normal (measured by a HbA1c blood test) are considered to be most at risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes. We now identify patients in this category as having PRE-DIABETES. We know that with diet and lifestyle changes those with pre-diabetes can slow or even prevent progression to Type 2 Diabetes. We know it can be tough to make lifestyle changes but with the right help it is possible to make simple changes that can significantly reduce your risk. Acting now is really important as it can reduce your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, and other health problems such as sight loss, stroke, or heart attack. Do it for yourself and for the people who care about you. There is local and national support for you to get more active or make changes to your diet if appropriate. Diabetes UK are running the 'One Million Step Challenge' from July through to September with the aim this summer for everybody to take around 10,000 steps per day for three months. As part of the Diabetes UK Awareness Week 13th – 19th  June there is also the Big Diabetes Week Dog Walk. You might decide to go for a solo stroll, a family-friendly weekend wander, organise a walk around a local park, or go for a more ambitious trek with friends. Wherever and whenever you walk, it’s completely up to you. But you will be perhaps, taking the first steps to a healthier you!

 

For more information and advice about Pre-Diabetes please see the following webpage. There is also a useful ‘Know your risk’ tool there which will calculate your risk. KNOW YOUR RISK

 

 A really useful booklet about preventing Diabetes can also be viewed here

 

At a Practice level, any patients we identify as having pre-diabetes from a HbA1c blood test will be offered an annual blood test to monitor their progress. This will also include patients who have historically had an HbA1c blood result in this pre-diabetes category.

 

Going forward, for everyone prevention is key and there are lots of diet and lifestyle changes that you can make NOW to help yourself keep healthy and reduce your risk. We urge patients to take responsibility for their health & there are lots of local services that can help you! 

Everybody should take part in exercise to help maintain a healthy lifestyle and boost circulation. Controlling your blood pressure, glucose, weight, and stopping smoking are all steps to improve your overall well-being and improve your emotional health. These factors will increase your chances of remaining complication free if you already have or do develop Type 2 diabetes.

Patient Event:

Living Well Taking Control are holding public facing webinars every two months for patients to raise awareness of the free support available to people living in Dorset. For more information & to book a place onto a webinar click here or take a look at this leaflet: pdf

Published: Jun 10, 2022