TEHRAN – The health ministry is observing the national diabetes week from November 8 to 14  to raise public awareness of the dangers of diabetes on health, improve the lives of people with diabetes, and highlight the urgent need for prevention, early detection, and treatment of the disease.

Diabetes is a chronic disease affecting the health of the individual and society. It affects all stages of life, including childhood, reproductive years, working age and productivity, and old age.  Preventing, managing, and improving the quality of life of patients with diabetes are important throughout their life span.

Each day of the week is centered around a specific topic.

Saturday, November 8, ‘Diabetes across life stages’

Sunday, November 9,  ‘Diabetes and education’

Monday, November 10, ‘Diabetes and media’

Tuesday, November 11, ‘Diabetes and effective policy making’

Wednesday, November 12, ‘Diabetes and nutrition’

Thursday, November 13, ‘Diabetes and the workplace’

Friday, November 14, ‘Diabetes and physical activity’

According to the health ministry, the percentage of adults with diabetes in Iran amounts to 14.2 percent,  which is higher than the global average figure, Mehr news agency reported.

More than 9 million people in Iran have prediabetes, and at least 500,000 people are newly diagnosed with diabetes annually.

In Iran, at least 14 percent of the individuals aged over 25 have diabetes, and their number is estimated to be more than 7.5 million people. If we consider adults with impaired glucose tolerance (prediabetes) as well, the number of people with prediabetes reaches about 20 million people over the age of 25.

Diabetes is characterized by elevated levels of blood glucose (or blood sugar), which leads over time to serious damage to the heart, blood vessels, eyes, kidneys, and nerves. The most common type is type 2 diabetes, usually in adults, which occurs when the body becomes resistant to insulin or doesn’t make enough insulin.

In the past 3 decades, the prevalence of type 2 diabetes has risen dramatically in countries of all income levels. Type 1 diabetes, once known as juvenile diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes, is a chronic condition in which the pancreas produces little or no insulin by itself. For people living with diabetes, access to affordable treatment, including insulin, is critical to their survival. There is a globally agreed target to halt the rise in diabetes and obesity by 2025.

The theme of this year’s World Health Organization (WHO) World Diabetes Day, “Diabetes across life stages,” recognizes that every person living with diabetes should have access to integrated care, supportive environments, and policies that promote health, dignity, and self-management. This campaign emphasizes the importance of a life-course approach to diabetes prevention, management, and overall well-being.

World Diabetes Day is a global occasion for people with diabetes, healthcare professionals, advocates, policymakers, and the public to unite to raise awareness of and take action on diabetes.

Millions of people with diabetes face daily challenges managing their condition in the workplace, including stigma, discrimination, and exclusion. This issue negatively impacts their well-being.

Some seven in 10 people living with diabetes are of working age. Three in four people living with diabetes have experienced anxiety, depression, or another mental health condition because of their diabetes.

Hence, this World Diabetes Day, on 14 November, the International Diabetes Federation calls for society to ‘Know more and do more for diabetes at work’.

MT/MG