NHS urges people to lower their risk of Type 2 diabetes

This week (23 – 29 May) is Diabetes Prevention Week and is a joint campaign from NHS England and Diabetes UK. The NHS in Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin are encouraging people across the county to know their risk of developing Type 2 diabetes and act now.

What is diabetes?

• Every two minutes someone finds out that they have Type 2 diabetes. If current trends persist, 1 in 10 people will develop Type 2 diabetes by 2035.
• Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body either doesn’t produce enough insulin or the insulin it does produce doesn’t work properly (insulin resistance). It can be a combination of both.

What are the risk factors?

• Your age. The older you are, the greater your risk is likely to be.
• Your family history. You’re two to six times more likely to get Type 2 diabetes if you have a parent, brother, sister or child with Type 2 diabetes.
• Your ethnicity. You’re more likely to get Type 2 diabetes if you’re over 25 and from a Chinese, South Asian, Black Caribbean or Black African ethnic background.
• Your weight. You are more at risk of Type 2 diabetes if you carry excess weight or have obesity.
• Your blood pressure. You’re more at risk if you’ve ever had high blood pressure.

How can we lower our risk?

• The first thing you need to do is to find out if you are at risk of developing the condition. You can do this by using the Diabetes UK risk tool – it only takes a few minutes and could be the most important thing you do today.
• You’ll be asked a series of questions to identify if you are at a low, moderate or high risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. Make sure to have a tape measure handy as you’ll need to measure your waist.
• If you’re at moderate or high risk, you’ll be invited to sign up to your free local Healthier You

What support is available?

• Type 2 diabetes can be a very serious condition but there are lots of things you can do to reduce your risk of developing it such as achieving a healthy weight, getting more physically active and eating healthy food.
• Your free local Healthier You programme can support you in taking action in all these areas.
• Making changes now can lower your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

What is the Healthier You programme?

• If you’re at risk of developing Type 2 diabetes you may be eligible to join your free local Healthier You
• The Healthier You programme provides personalised support to help you put your health back in your hands and reduce your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.
• From helping you eat well, to tips on achieving a healthy weight and physical activity – the service is here to support you on your journey back to a healthier you.
• To help you keep focused and motivated on your goals, you’ll have access to trained health coaches, and you’ll be able to meet other people in your area who are also trying to reduce their risk of Type 2 diabetes.
• We know it can be tough to make lifestyle changes but with the right help it is possible to make the simple changes that can significantly reduce your risk. Do it for yourself and also do it for the people who care about you.

#HealthierHack
The theme for Type 2 Diabetes Prevention Week 2022 is #HealthierHack, where the public and healthcare professionals are encouraged to share their healthier hacks on social media. These could include top tips like getting off the bus a stop earlier to get in extra steps, or swapping ice cream for fat free yoghurt. Join in and share your #healthierhacks with us, using our twitter tag @STWCCG.