World Diabetes Day was jointly introduced by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Diabetes Federation (IDF). The global diabetes awareness campaign was introduced amidst concern over an escalating diabetes epidemic. November 14th is a significant date in the diabetes calendar because it marks the birthday of the man who co-discovered insulin, Frederick Banting. Banting discovered insulin in 1922, alongside Charles Best. World Diabetes Day is internationally recognized.

The theme of World Diabetes Day, from 2014 to 2016 will be healthy living and diabetes and this year, there’s a focus on starting each day right by having a healthy breakfast. A healthy breakfast should help blood sugar levels from getting too high and should keep you full through the morning.

The logo of World Diabetes Day is a blue circle, and this is recognised by hundreds of thousands of people with diabetes throughout the world. World Diabetes Day is celebrated throughout the world. A truly global event, World Diabetes Day occurs in over 200 diabetic member associations, in over 160 different countries. Further associations, medical professionals, and individuals all over the world join together to celebrate World Diabetes Day. Each World Diabetes Day, famous buildings and monuments all over the world are lit up in blue. This powerful and striking image helps to spread the message about World Diabetes Day to diabetics and non-diabetics alike. Famous buildings that have been lit up in the past on World Diabetes Day include the Sears Tower, the London Eye and Brisbane City Hall.

The latest estimates from the IDF Diabetes Atlas indicate that there are 382 million people living with diabetes worldwide. By 2035, 592 million people or one person in ten will have the disease. A further 316 million people are currently at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes, with the number expected to increase to almost 500 million within a generation. What makes the pandemic particularly menacing is that throughout much of the world, it remains hidden. Up to half of all people with diabetes globally remain undiagnosed.

These facts and figures reiterate the importance of urgent action. Most cases of type 2 diabetes can be prevented and the serious complications of diabetes can be avoided through healthy lifestyles and living environments that encourage and facilitate healthy behaviour.

The key messages of the campaign aim to raise awareness of how the healthy choice can be the easy choice and the various steps that individuals can take to make informed decisions about what they eat. Special focus will be placed on the importance of starting the day with a healthy breakfast.

All campaign activities will be continue to be informed by the slogan "Diabetes: protect our future." The campaign will continue to promote the importance of immediate action to protect the health and well-being of future generations and achieve meaningful outcomes for people with diabetes and those at risk.

The key messages of the campaign include:

According to WHO,

Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs either when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces. Insulin is a hormone that regulates blood sugar. Hyperglycaemia, or raised blood sugar, is a common effect of uncontrolled diabetes and over time leads to serious damage to many of the body's systems, especially the nerves and blood vessels. Type 1 diabetes

Type 1 diabetes (previously known as insulin-dependent, juvenile or childhood-onset) is characterized by deficient insulin production and requires daily administration of insulin. The cause of type 1 diabetes is not known and it is not preventable with current knowledge.

Symptoms include excessive excretion of urine (polyuria), thirst (polydipsia), constant hunger, weight loss, vision changes and fatigue. These symptoms may occur suddenly.

Type 2 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes (formerly called non-insulin-dependent or adult-onset) results from the body’s ineffective use of insulin. Type 2 diabetes comprises 90% of people with diabetes around the world, and is largely the result of excess body weight and physical inactivity.

Symptoms may be similar to those of Type 1 diabetes, but are often less marked. As a result, the disease may be diagnosed several years after onset, once complications have already arisen. Until recently, this type of diabetes was seen only in adults but it is now also occurring in children.

Gestational diabetes

Gestational diabetes is hyperglycaemia with blood glucose values above normal but below those diagnostic of diabetes, occurring during pregnancy. Women with gestational diabetes are at an increased risk of complications during pregnancy and at delivery. They are also at increased risk of type 2 diabetes in the future.

Gestational diabetes is diagnosed through prenatal screening, rather than reported symptoms.

Impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and impaired fasting glycaemia (IFG)

 (IGT) and (IFG) are intermediate conditions in the transition between normality and diabetes. People with IGT or IFG are at high risk of progressing to type 2 diabetes, although this is not inevitable. What are the common consequences of diabetes? Over time, diabetes can damage the heart, blood vessels, eyes, kidneys, and nerves. -Diabetes increases the risk of heart disease and stroke. 50% of people with diabetes die of cardiovascular disease (primarily heart disease and stroke) -Combined with reduced blood flow, neuropathy (nerve damage) in the feet increases the chance of foot ulcers, infection and eventual need for limb amputation. -Diabetic retinopathy is an important cause of blindness, and occurs as a result of long-term accumulated damage to the small blood vessels in the retina. One percent of global blindness can be attributed to diabetes.

-Diabetes is among the leading causes of kidney failure. -The overall risk of dying among people with diabetes is at least double the risk of their peers without diabetes. -Dental problems are more common in people with diabetes. It is estimated that people with Type 2 diabetes are three times more likely to develop dental problems than people without diabetes, and the risk is also increased for people with Type 1.

Dental problems can include gum inflammation (gingivitis), infection and inflammation of the ligaments and bone that support the teeth (periodontitis), tooth decay (dental caries), dry mouth (xerostomia), fungal infections (oral thrush) and disturbances in taste.

Oral problems can occur in people with diabetes for a number of different reasons, which is why it is especially important to visit a dentist regularly and tell them about your diabetes. People with diabetes who have persistent high blood glucose levels are more likely to have dental problems.

How can the burden of diabetes be reduced?

Prevention

Diagnosis and treatment

Early diagnosis can be accomplished through relatively inexpensive blood testing.

Treatment of diabetes involves lowering blood glucose and the levels of other known risk factors that damage blood vessels. Tobacco use cessation is also important to avoid complications.

Interventions that are both cost saving and feasible in developing countries include:

Other cost saving interventions include:

These measures should be supported by a healthy diet, regular physical activity, maintaining a normal body weight and avoiding tobacco use.

Dr. Shima Naghavi, Director of International Affairs