People in Kent urged to take action to prevent type 2 diabetes

It is Diabetes Awareness week, and the NHS – with support from KCC – is urging local people to find out their risk of type 2 diabetes and take action to improve their future health.

Around 90,000 people in Kent and Medway have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and many more are at risk.

Yet simple lifestyle changes around diet, activity levels and weight management can often prevent or delay the condition – and make you feel better in yourself too.

The KCC campaign One You Kent has lots of ideas and support for how you can make small changes for a big impact on your health and wellbeing.

And tailored free courses are on offer through the NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme to help 100,000 people in England, including thousands in Kent and Medway, reduce their risk.

The courses, which cover eating healthily, being more active, losing weight, and making changes for good, are already proving highly successful, with more than half those who sign up completing the nine month course, losing on average around half a stone each.

You can check your risk of type 2 diabetes at diabetes.org.uk/risk. If your risk of developing diabetes is high, contact your GP practice and ask about the NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme.

You are also urged to take up an NHS Health Check if offered one by your GP practice. The NHS Health Check is a health check-up for adults in England aged 40-74. It’s designed to spot early signs of stroke, kidney disease, heart disease, type 2 diabetes or dementia. As we get older, we have a higher risk of developing one of these conditions. An NHS Health Check helps find ways to lower this risk.

To keep up to date with all CommunityAd articles, news and publications why not follow us on our social media channels?