Mayor meets diabetes charity workers on Mansfield visit

The Diabetes UK Know Your Risk roadshow visited Mansfield to offer members of the public a chance to find out their risk of Type 2 diabetes, free of charge.

Mayor Kate Allsop visited the Know Your Risk bus while it was parked up in Market Place and chatted to our volunteers.

Diabetes UK regional head Peter Shorrick said: “In the UK, 11.9million people are at increased risk of developing Type 2 diabetes and in the Mansfield area alone more than 9,000 people are living with Type 2 diabetes.

“Left untreated or poorly managed diabetes can cause devastating complications such as amputation, blindness, kidney failure and stroke.”

Over the two days 118 people had their risk assessed by answering some simple questions and having their weight, height and waist measured.

Some 58 per cent were referred to their GP for tests as they were found to be at moderate to high risk.

Peter added: “I’m so pleased we were able to talk to people in Mansfield and help some who were at risk of developing the condition. Finding out your risk doesn’t take long, but is key to helping to ensure you have the best chance of living a long and healthy life.”

Unlike Type 1 diabetes which is not linked to lifestyle and cannot be prevented, the most important risk factor for developing Type 2 diabetes is being overweight or obese, especially if you are large around your middle.

That means three out of five cases of Type 2 diabetes can be prevented or delayed through adopting a healthy lifestyle and taking steps to reduce risk of developing the condition.

People can maintain a healthy weight through eating a healthy diet and taking regular exercise.

But there are risk factors which cannot be changed such as being aged over 40, ethnicity—being African-Caribbean, Black African, South Asian over 25—or having a parent, child, brother or sister who has diabetes.

In the UK, there are 4.5 million people who have diabetes, of which 1.1 million have Type 2 diabetes but have not yet been diagnosed.

To find out more, visit www.diabetes.org.uk/knowyourrisk.