Let’s Observe World Diabetes Day

Every year on November 14th, the world celebrates World Diabetes Day. From small beginnings, it has developed into a widely recognized event that raises awareness of diabetes.

Currently, World Diabetes Day, or WDD, is the world’s largest diabetes awareness campaign reaching over 1 billion people in more than 169 countries worldwide. The campaign raises awareness of issues that are of the utmost importance to people with diabetes and keeps the disease firmly in the public and political spotlight.

Understanding Diabetes

Diabetes or diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease where blood glucose levels are too high. It may occur if your body produces insufficient insulin or ineffective insulin, or when your body can’t produce any insulin at all.

Sadly, diabetes puts people at risk for various other medical issues, such as nerve damage, cardiovascular disease, foot and limb injuries, and vision problems, among others. Understanding diabetes and how to manage it is, therefore, more crucial than ever.

Types of diabetes

Here are the main types of diabetes:

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disorder that typically arises before adulthood and causes the body’s own insulin-producing cells to be destroyed by the immune system.

Type 2 diabetes is a condition that develops when the body cannot use insulin properly to control blood sugar and typically happens in middle age.

Gestational diabetes is a condition that happens during pregnancy where the body improperly uses insulin, similar to type 2 diabetes.

Prediabetes, while not technically a type of diabetes, is a serious medical condition where blood sugar levels are elevated but not yet to the point where type 2 diabetes would be diagnosed.

However, the most common type of diabetes is type 2, with up to 95% of cases in the US alone.

Facts and figures

Here are some facts and figures brought by IDF Diabetes Atlas:

• Diabetes affects 537 million adults (20–79 years old), or 1 in every 10. Sadly, this figure is expected to rise to 643 million by 2030 and 783 million by 2045.
• Almost 1 in 2 adults (44%) with diabetes are undiagnosed (240 million). The vast majority have type 2 diabetes.
• Type 1 diabetes affects over 1.2 million children and adolescents aged 0 to 19.
• Diabetes caused 6.7 million deaths in 2021.
• High blood glucose (hyperglycemia) affects 1 in every 6 live births (21 million).

History of World Diabetes Day

In response to mounting worries about the disease’s growing threat to public health, the International Diabetes Foundation (IDF) and the World Health Organization (WHO) created World Diabetes Day in 1991 on November 14th.

Now, WDD, which includes hundreds of campaigns, events, screenings, lectures, meetings, and other activities, demonstrates its effectiveness in spreading the word about diabetes and increasing public awareness of the disease worldwide.

Why November 14th?

World Diabetes Day is commemorated each year on Sir Frederick Banting’s birthday, November 14th, who co-discovered insulin with Charles Best in 1922. Although it was recognized by the government through the 1990s and the beginning of the 2000s, WDD remained largely unnoticed until 2006, when the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) successfully lobbied for the United Nations to issue a resolution the following year, formally recognizing it for the first time.

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The IDF organizes World Diabetes Day and selects a different theme each year.

What’s the 2022 theme?

The theme for World Diabetes Day 2021–23 is Access to Diabetes Care.

The growing number of diabetes patients places additional strain on healthcare systems. Healthcare professionals must be able to detect and diagnose diabetes early in order to provide the best possible care, while people living with diabetes require ongoing education to understand their condition and carry out the daily self-care required to stay healthy and avoid complications.

Therefore, the theme of the World Diabetes Day 2021–23 campaign for the second year is “Education to Protect Tomorrow.”

Why Is This Day So Important?

There are 3 reasons why November 14th is so important.

Firstly, it draws attention to the diabetes epidemic. According to the statistics, diabetes diagnoses increased by roughly 380% over a 25-year period (from 1988 to 2013). And these diagnoses are dangerous – the WHO predicts that by 2030, diabetes will be the 7th leading cause of death worldwide. This condition requires attention, which is why dedicating an entire day to it is critical.

Secondly, type 2 diabetes can be easily avoided. World Diabetes Day serves as a great reminder to live healthier lives. Type 2 diabetes can be controlled with healthy lifestyle choices, such as a healthy diet, regular physical activity, and maintaining a healthy weight.

Finally, this day is a great reminder to stay educated about diabetes. Type 2 diabetes has reached epidemic proportions, but type 1 diabetes, formerly known as juvenile diabetes, is just as dangerous to one’s health. Type 1 diabetes affects approximately 1.25 million Americans, but the cause of the disease is unknown. However, the health consequences are just as severe as type 2 diabetes. World Diabetes Day serves as a reminder to be aware of diabetes symptoms, get tested, and receive treatment.

How Do We Mark World Diabetes Day?

To participate in and observe World Diabetes Day, many people worldwide wear a blue circle logo symbol dedicated to diabetes awareness. So, on this day, wear a t-shirt, necklace, or bracelet with the logo, or make one yourself to raise awareness of this dangerous disease and its consequences.

Also, to commemorate WDD, many healthcare professionals, businesses, and public figures host a variety of activities to raise awareness. These include a range of activities and events, such as:

• Meetings and lectures to spread public information
• Sports events
• Television and radio programs
• Brochure and poster campaigns
• Exhibitions, conferences, and others

Many individuals also work with health officials to host a diabetes fair at their workplace or home to learn more about this disease.

Ultimately, getting tested for diabetes is a great addition to observing World Diabetes Day. Diabetes symptoms include, but are not limited to, excessive urine excretion, thirst, constant hunger, weight loss, vision changes, and fatigue. Plus, being overweight or obese increases the likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes. Therefore, World Diabetes Day can be a great reminder to get tested if you have any risk factors or symptoms of diabetes.

Conclusion

537 million people worldwide suffer from diabetes, and many of them don’t even know they have it. Keeping this in mind, the IDF and WHO created a day to raise awareness of diabetes and its escalating effects. So, let’s mark this day by learning more about this serious medical condition and spreading the word about it.