World Diabetes Day 14th November
On the 14th November each year, we are reminded of the health and financial costs we pay towards diabetes.
Diabetes is a condition that causes a person’s blood sugar level to become too high, due to a lack of insulin resistance. When blood sugar becomes too high, glucose will spill out into the urine rather than being used as energy.
This induces symptoms such as:
- Extreme thirst
- Excess urination
- Chronic tiredness
- Blurred vision
- Slow wound healing
3.5 million of the UK population has been diagnosed with diabetes, 2.1 million more than 20 years ago. Each day 65 people will die due to diabetes complications.
Risk factors:
- Being overweight or obese
- Having a large waist (women – 31.5”, men – 37”, South Asian men – 35”)
- Not being White European
- Having a parent or sibling with diabetes
- High blood pressure
- Heart attack or stroke
- Depression or anxiety
- Being aged over 49
Studies have also shown that weight loss and exercise could lower the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by approximately 58%.
Risk reduction and prevention:
- Eat a balanced and healthy diet
- Test your blood sugar levels to ensure stability, if necessary
- Gain a full understanding of diabetic management to ensure stability, if necessary
- Maintain a healthy body weight
- Regular exercise
1 million people in the UK have diabetes but are not diagnosed, our Health Assessments will enable us to assess individuals and pick up on their potential risk through the instigation of testing their blood glucose level, blood pressure and cholesterol level.
The Healthy Employee Online Programme includes a programme specifically designed for those managing diabetes. Click here to find out more.
