WiRED Observes National Diabetes Month
BY OLIVIA SPIRITO; EDITED BY BERNICE BORN
N
ovember is National Diabetes Month — a time to spread the word about diabetes.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 422 million adults have diabetes, and 1.6 million deaths are directly related to diabetes every year. WiRED International offers 17 modules on the disease in its Diabetes Series. This series describes type 1, type 2 and gestational diabetes and the various complications and consequences of the illness on the body.
This year’s observance month’s theme is “Promoting Health After Gestational Diabetes.” Gestational diabetes can develop when a woman is pregnant, and it can adversely affect the unborn baby. Type 1 diabetes occurs when the person produces little to no insulin in the pancreas. It is most often diagnosed in children and adolescents. People who are overweight or obese have a greater chance of developing type 2 diabetes, in which the pancreas does not process the insulin it makes. One in three adults over 18 years is overweight, and one in 10 is obese, according to WHO.
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Prevention and good management are keys to reducing the risk of developing diabetes or making diabetes worse. A healthy diet of nutrient-dense food with lots of vegetables can significantly reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Healthy practices such as quitting tobacco, reducing alcohol intake and keeping fit significantly lower the onset and effects of diabetes.
Diabetes prevalence has been rising more rapidly in middle- and low-income countries, according to WHO. Further, the number of adults living with diabetes has quadrupled since 1980. If diabetes is left untreated, people can suffer heart attacks, strokes, blindness and issues related to the kidneys and nerves.
This November and every month, WiRED urges everyone to recognize the impact diabetes has on families and the role all can play in supporting prevention, early diagnosis and good management of diabetes.
You can download the modules in this story, and all 400+ of WiRED’s health modules, through WiRED’s Health Module Access Program (HealthMAP) by clicking here. This easy-to-use free program will enable you to create your own customized collection of health learning modules. You can learn more about HealthMAP through WiRED's animation.
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