Roadshow looks at diabetes risk

Wednesday 2nd May 2012

People are being offered free testing for their risk of developing Type 2 diabetes at a healthy lifestyle roadshow.

Diabetes UK, will visit Ashington, in Northumberland, to offer risk assessments which show if people are likely to develop the condition because of their lifestyle and diet.

The charity estimates that 4,300 people in Northumberland have undiagnosed Type 2 diabetes. The roadshow aims to tackle this by highlighting the risk factors and encouraging members of the public to make lifestyle changes.

Linda Wood, Diabetes UK Northern and Yorkshire regional manager, said: "Diabetes is one of the biggest health challenges facing us today. There are 850,000 people at risk of developing the condition in England, but what is more frightening is that there are about 4,300 people in Northumberland alone that have Type 2 diabetes but have no idea they do."

Diabetes UK's Healthy Lifestyle Roadshow will visit the Asda car park in Ashington on May 9 and May 10 from 9am to 5pm.

Diabetes UK was awarded £413,722 from the Big Lottery Fund to support 70 roadshows in England during 2011 and 2012. Anyone unable to attend the roadshow can assess their risk of diabetes online at http://www.diabetes.org.uk/roadshow/riskscore1.

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