Roadshow raises diabetes awareness

Wednesday 13th June 2012

A roadshow held in Cumbria earlier this month has helped 190 people in the area find out more about diabetes and discover if they are at risk of developing the condition.

Diabetes UK's Healthy Lifestyle Roadshow rolled into Barrow-in-Furness on June 7 and 8 to raise awareness of the condition and urge people to check if they are at risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes develops when the body can still make some insulin, but not enough, or when the insulin that is produced does not work properly.

Diabetes UK staff offered free diabetes risk assessment tests to 210 people to predict a person's risk of developing Type 2 diabetes in the next 10 years.

A total of 114 people were referred to their GP for further advice or tests as their risk of diabetes was moderate to high.

The Roadshow also offered advice on how to make beneficial lifestyle changes by adopting a healthy diet low in fat, salt and sugar and participating in regular physical activity.

The Roadshow aimed to identify some of the estimated 11,000 people in Cumbria who have Type 2 diabetes but are not aware they do.

The roadshow is supported by the Big Lottery Fund and run in partnership with Mend (Mind, Exercise, Nutrition...Do it!) an organisation that provides healthy lifestyle programmes to local families.

Helen Pattie, regional manager for Diabetes UK North West, said: "Diabetes is one of the biggest health challenges facing us today. It's frightening that there are more than 11,000 people across Cumbria alone that have Type 2 diabetes but have no idea they do.

"I am pleased that the Diabetes UK Healthy Lifestyle Roadshow was able to help people find out if they were at risk of the condition."

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