Diabetes roadshow comes to Sprucefield

DIABETES UK has teamed up with Bupa to help local people reduce their risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by visiting the Healthy Lifestyle Roadshow at Sprucefield Centre in Lisburn.

On Thursday 16 and Friday 17 May (10am to 5pm), in the Boots car park area of Sprucefield Centre, people will receive a free risk assessment. This will indicate their risk of having Type 2 diabetes, as well as their chance of developing the condition in the next 10 years.

The roadshow will also aim to identify some of the people in Lisburn who have Type 2 diabetes but don’t currently know it.

At the Healthy Lifestyle Roadshow, people will have their weight, height and waist measured and will receive a consultation about risk factors and healthy living.

A dietician will also be available to discuss the advantages of a healthy balanced diet. Many cases of Type 2 Diabetes could be delayed or prevented with a healthy lifestyle.

The risk factors of developing Type 2 diabetes include being overweight, having a large waist, having high blood pressure and having a close relative with diabetes. Risk also increases with age and is higher for people from a black, Asian or ethnic minority background.

This is the first time the Healthy Lifestyle Roadshow has visited Lisburn. There are currently almost 4,000 people in Lisburn living with diabetes and it is estimated that a further 10% have the condition but do not know they have it.

Iain Foster, National Director at Diabetes UK Northern Ireland said: “Up to 80 per cent of cases of Type 2 diabetes could be delayed or prevented with healthy lifestyle changes, such as eating a healthy diet, taking regular physical activity and managing your weight. We want to make people aware of their risk and support them in making the right choices to improve their health and reduce their chance of developing Type 2 diabetes, which is a life-long condition.

“If we can also find those people who already have Type 2 diabetes but don’t know it, they can get the help they need to manage their condition and avoid some of the devastating health complications which can develop if diabetes goes unnoticed.”

Anyone unable to attend the Roadshow can still assess their risk of diabetes by taking the free Diabetes UK Risk Score test online at www.diabetes.org.uk/roadshow. If after taking the test they are found to be at moderate or high risk of developing the condition they should visit their GP.

Related topics: