World Diabetes Day 2021: Theme, history, and the significance

November, World Diabetes Day is celebrated every year on November 14 to mark the birthday of Sir Frederick Banting, who discovered the insulin hormone along with Charles Herbert Best in 1922.

According to experts, an estimated 463 million people worldwide suffer from diabetes, with Type-2 diabetes that needs to be treated with insulin sensitisers making up about 90 per cent of the cases.

Health professionals estimate that the figures will continue to rise, and considering the fact that diabetes at least doubles a person’s risk of early death, the need to raise awareness about the metabolic disorder and tips on maintaining blood sugar levels are at an all-time high.

World Diabetes Day: Theme

The theme for World Diabetes Day 2021-23 is “Access to Diabetes Care – If Not Now, When?”, putting across the timely message for diabetes care. The theme encourages people to be aware of the diabetes mellitus set of metabolic disorders so that they can benefit from the education on disease and treatment, dietary changes, and exercise, with the goal of keeping both short-term and long-term blood glucose levels within acceptable bounds.

The campaign is represented by a blue circle logo that was adopted in 2007 after the passage of the UN Resolution on diabetes. The blue circle is the global symbol for diabetes awareness. It signifies the unity of the global diabetes community in response to the diabetes epidemic.

World Diabetes Day: History

World Diabetes Day was established by the International Diabetes Foundation (IDF) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) in 1991, as a response to growing concerns about the escalating health threat posed by the ailment.

World Diabetes Day was officially recognised by the United Nations in 2006 with the passage of a resolution to this effect.

World Diabetes Day: Significance

Learning about the diabetes mellitus disease and actively participating in its treatment are important since complications are far less common and less severe in people who have well-managed blood sugar levels.

According to the IDF, some of the ways people can get involved in raising awareness about diabetes, are as follow:

1. Engaging local or national policy-makers to ensure that all people with diabetes have access to the care they need.
2. Organising a ‘Learn about diabetes’ event in schools.
3. Organising or participating in a local diabetes awareness walk.
4. Lighting up a local landmark, home, or workplace in blue, or arranging an activity with colleagues to raise awareness regarding diabetes.

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