World Diabetes Day - November 14
World Diabetes Day (WDD) was created in 1991 by IDF and the World Health Organization in response to growing concerns about the escalating health threat posed by diabetes. World Diabetes Day became an official United Nations Day in 2006 with the passage of United Nation Resolution 61/225. It is marked every year on 14 November, the birthday of Sir Frederick Banting, who co-discovered insulin along with Charles Best in 1922.
WDD is the world’s largest diabetes awareness campaign reaching a global audience of over 1 billion people in more than 160 countries. The campaign draws attention to issues of paramount importance to the diabetes world and keeps diabetes firmly in the public and political spotlight.
The World Diabetes Day campaign aims to be the:
- Platform to promote IDF advocacy efforts throughout the year.
- Global driver to promote the importance of taking coordinated and concerted actions to confront diabetes as a critical global health issue
Every year, the World Diabetes Day campaign focuses on a dedicated theme that runs for one or more years. The theme for World Diabetes Day 2021-23 is “Access to Diabetes Care – If Not Now, When?”.
History of World Diabetes Day
Diabetes is considered to have been around 1550 BC. The successful extraction and injection of insulin into humans were discovered in 1922. So, comparatively, our understanding of diabetes is quite new compared to its long, arduous march through history.
The difference between type two and type one started around 1850, where medical professionals at the time believed that they knew enough of the difference between the two to warrant two categories.
Since then, type II diabetes has ballooned to 90 percent of those affected, with an estimated $425 million individuals affected worldwide. This alarming rise in such a preventable disease is one of the reasons the WHO and IDF wanted to create World Diabetes Day – to help spread awareness of how to prevent contracting the illness.
Having to manage blood sugar levels on a daily basis is a time-consuming and costly endeavor, as the economic cost of diabetes globally is around $727 billion (USD) and in the US alone it costs almost a third of that, at $245 billion.
The costliness and its prevention create even more reason for us to spread awareness of the disease and also celebrate the birth of the man who helped bring insulin into the modern world as an effective treatment against it.
Importance of WDD
It draws attention to the diabetes epidemic
Over a 25 year span (from 1988 to 2013) diabetes diagnoses increased roughly 380%. And these diagnoses are dangerous—by the year 2030, the World Health Organization predicts diabetes will be the seventh leading cause of death in the world. This condition demands attention—and that’s why having a whole day dedicated to it is crucial.
Type 2 Diabetes can be avoided
World Diabetes Day serves as a reminder to live our lives more healthfully. Type II diabetes can be limited through a healthy diet, regular physical activity, and maintaining a normal weight. Tobacco use exacerbates type II diabetes as well and is best avoided.
It’s a reminder to be educated about diabetes
Type II diabetes has grown to epidemic proportions, but type I diabetes, formerly known as juvenile diabetes, is just as serious a health threat. Approximately 1.25 million Americans are diagnosed with type I diabetes, but the cause of the disease is unknown. However, the health effects are just as devastating as type II diabetes. World Diabetes Day serves as a reminder to know the symptoms of diabetes, get tested, and get treatment.
Diabetes by the Numbers
New figures from the International Diabetes Federation reveal the alarming growth in the prevalence of diabetes around the world.
- 1 in 10 adults have diabetes
- 537 million adults around the world are living with diabetes
- 643 million adults are predicted to be living with diabetes by 2030
- Over 700 million people are expected to be living with diabetes by 2045
- Almost 1 in 2 adults living with diabetes are undiagnosed
- 4 in 5 people with diabetes live in low and middle-income countries
- 6.7 million adults are estimated to have died due to diabetes
- 966 billion USD global health expenditure due to diabetes in 2021
- Half of all people living with diabetes are undiagnosed
- 1 in 2 people who need insulin cannot access or afford it
Diabetes is a significant global challenge to the health and wellbeing of individuals, families, and countries.
Governments must turn words into action to provide affordable and uninterrupted access to access to diabetes care for all people who require it and help prevent the condition in people at high risk.
If not now, when?
A century after its discovery, insulin and other fundamental components of diabetes care remain beyond the reach of millions who need them. Without treatment or sufficient support, people with diabetes are at risk of serious and life-threatening complications:
- Heart attack
- Stroke
- Kidney failure
- Blindness
- Lower-limb amputation
The World Health Organization Global Diabetes Compact and 2021 Resolution call for urgent coordinated global action to tackle diabetes. These are significant milestones, but words must now be turned into action.
IDF calls on National Governments and Policymakers to:
- Ensure affordable access to fundamental care for people living with diabetes
- Develop policies to improve the prevention of type 2 diabetes
- Improve screening to ensure timely diagnosis and prevent diabetes-related complications
- Implement mechanisms to engage people with diabetes meaningfully in the development of policies to tackle diabetes
Getting Involved
World Diabetes Day is a global occasion on which people with diabetes, health professionals, diabetes advocates, media, the general public, and government organizations unite to raise awareness of diabetes. Your participation – both in the build-up to and following 14 November – is key to the success of the campaign. Taking part can be exciting and hugely rewarding!
The theme for World Diabetes Day 2021-23 is Access to Diabetes Care.
The blue circle logo is a global symbol for diabetes awareness. On World Diabetes Day, wear a t-shirt, necklace, or bracelet with the logo or create one yourself to make others aware of this dangerous disease and its effects.
- Engage local or national policy-makers to ensure that all people with diabetes have access to the care they need.
- Organize a ‘Learn about diabetes’ event in schools.
- Organize or participate in a local diabetes awareness walk.
- Light up a local landmark, your home or workplace in blue.
- Arrange an activity with your work colleagues.
- Help people learn their potential risk of type 2 diabetes with this online test from IDF.
Sources:
https://nationaltoday.com/world-diabetes-day/
http://worlddiabetesday.org/about/
https://worlddiabetesday.org/resources/wdd-2021/infographics/