Myth-busting and fact-sharing for National Diabetes Awareness Week

National Diabetes Awareness Week runs from 12^th-18^th June 2016. This year’s focus is ‘setting the record straight’ and we want you to help share straight talking stories, facts and information about diabetes, helping to dispel the myths and misunderstanding.

There are two types of diabetes; type 1 and type 2. Diabetes UK, the UK’s leading diabetes charity, defines diabetes as a condition where the amount of glucose in the blood is too high because the pancreas either does not produce any insulin, or does not produce enough (known as insulin resistance). Follow this link to read more about the differences between type 1 and type 2 diabetes: https://www.diabetes.org.uk/Guide-to-diabetes/What-is-diabetes/

Most of us know a friend or family member who has diabetes, but there can be a lot of misconceptions about the conditions.

Did you know?…

• In the UK, there are around 3.5 million people diagnosed with diabetes, with an estimated additional 549,000 people who have the condition, but don’t know it.
• In Shropshire, more than 15,000 people are diagnosed with diabetes.
• Type 1 diabetes is not linked to being overweight and there are no lifestyle changes that can lower your risk of type 1 diabetes.
• Type 2 is the most common type of diabetes, around 90% of those diagnosed with diabetes have type 2 diabetes.
• As much as 35% of the population may be at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes and may currently have increased levels of glycated haemoglobin in their blood. In Shropshire, this could be as many as 107,000 people. Without intervention, these individuals have a greater chance of developing diabetes.
• Each week around 100 people in Shropshire are diagnosed with diabetes.
• You can help to reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes by taking preventive steps: eating more healthily, losing weight (if you’re overweight) and becoming more physically active.
• It’s really important for people with diabetes to manage their condition effectively, as without careful management, people can experience a range of complications, including damage to nerves, blindness and even amputations.

For more myth-busting and frequently asked questions about diabetes, follow this link: https://www.diabetes.org.uk/Guide-to-diabetes/What-is-diabetes/Myths-and-FAQs/

There are a range of risk factors that put you at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, these include:

• Having a BMI of over 25 (or over 23 if you are of South Asian or Chinese descent)
• Having high blood pressure
• Being aged over 40 (or over 25 if you’re Afro-Caribbean, Black African, or South Asian)
• Having a close family member (parent, brother or sister) who has type 2 diabetes
• Being South Asian or Afro-Caribbean (these ethnic groups are five times more likely to get type 2 diabetes)
• Having polycystic ovary syndrome
• Having had gestational diabetes (diabetes that lasts for the duration of the pregnancy)

Cllr Karen Calder, Chair of the Shropshire Health and Wellbeing Board said:

“Diabetes affects the lives of so many people and it’s important that we take it seriously. It can be tough to live with the condition and diabetes needs careful management to make sure that people don’t end up with life-limiting complications such as blindness and amputation.

“Whilst type 1 diabetes is not preventable, individuals can take action to reduce their likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes. It’s important that we help to raise awareness to gain a better understanding of diabetes and help to dispel some of the myths that exist around the condition”.

If you want to find out more about diabetes, please visit www.diabetes.org.uk where you can find a range of information and support including a page dedicated to information about calculating and understanding your risk of type 2 diabetes: https://www.diabetes.org.uk/knowyourrisk