12 – 18 June marks Diabetes Week, raising awareness and highlighting how you can reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes, or manage your condition effectively if you’ve been diagnosed.
More than 160,000 people in North West (NW) London have diabetes, of which 83% have type 2 and over 210,000 more are at high risk of type 2.
Through our NHS Know Diabetes website, nearly 15,000 people with diabetes in NW London now have a Know Diabetes account to help manage the condition.
This Diabetes Awareness Week we want to let everyone know that you can access free help and support from this website and other tools the NHS has on offer. All set-up to help you and your family, prevent and manage type 2 diabetes.
Prevention
Some people are at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, that’s why it’s so important to check your risk.
People who are at a higher risk include those who:
- are over 40 and white, or over 25 and African-Caribbean, Black-African, Arab, Chinese or South Asian
- have a family history of diabetes
- are overweight
- have high blood pressure
- have a history of a heart attack or stroke
- have a history of schizophrenia, bipolar illness or depression, or if you are receiving treatment with anti-psychotic medication
- have had polycystic ovaries, gestational diabetes, or a baby weighing over 10 pounds
Having an increased risk of type 2 diabetes (what some people call ‘prediabetes’), does not mean you will get type 2 diabetes. However, healthy lifestyle choices including a balanced diet, adapting your mindset and increasing activity levels to move more, can mean you have a life free from type 2 diabetes.
If your risk means that you are worried about being at high risk of type 2 call your GP surgery and ask for a Hba1c blood test (to test your blood sugar level).
Getting help - where to start
There are a wide range of free, accessible services and resources in NW London, all designed to help you maintain a healthier lifestyle and reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
The Healthier You: NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme is a nine month behaviour change programme that supports you to make lifelong changes to reduce your future risk. Thousands of people have already completed this course.
The Know Diabetes website has videos explaining what the programme is about in Urdu, Gujarati, Punjabi and Arabic.
If you’re looking for quick access to online eLearning try out our eLearning courses for people at risk of type 2, you can sign up in a few clicks.
For something for the whole family, Gro Health, a health and wellbeing app, is currently offering a limited number of licenses for free to families across NW London.
The platform has more than 2,000 healthy recipes and activities for all ages. It personalises your support by providing health tracking, workouts suited to your fitness level, recipes based on your dietary requirements and more. Find out more about how it works here.
Management
It can be overwhelming when you get a diagnosis, but there are resources that will help you manage your condition effectively. Attending all your appointments and blood pressure checks is essential, but there is a lot you can do on your own too.
The national and local programmes are available for type 1 and type 2 diabetes. They can help with managing all aspects of diabetes care. Most have been created with diabetes specialist dietitians, podiatrists and diabetes specialist nurses to help you self-manage your diabetes between appointments.
It’s also really important to remember you’re not alone. There are education and support groups where you can meet and share experiences with others. If your condition is causing anxiety or distress, help is available online from the NHS or diabetes charities. If you are seriously concerned about your mental health you should raise this with your GP.
For more educational resources, programmes and communities to join, visit the Know Diabetes website or learn more about the Gro Health platform.