HEALTH bosses in Worcestershire are supporting Diabetes Prevention Week and encouraging those at risk of developing Type 2 diabetes to act now to reduce the likelihood of them getting the condition.
One of the main aims of the week is raising awareness of the Healthier You: NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme.
Access is via referral from a GP for anyone who has had a blood test in the last 24 months showing they are at risk of Type 2 diabetes.
Residents who haven’t yet seen a GP but are concerned they might be at risk can check their risk score quickly and anonymously online at riskscore.diabetes.org.uk.
Nationally, more than 500,000 people have been referred into the programme, and those completing it who were overweight lost on average 3.6kg, greater than originally predicted.
Richard Broggie, a local resident currently enrolled on the programme said: “The main goal for me is to reduce my blood sugar levels to normal range and to lose some weight.
“I have already done both of those, and my goal is to lose more weight for the rest of the programme, keep my blood sugar in the normal range, and to make sure that I can sustain the lifestyle changes I have made so far.”
To find out more about the Healthier You: NHS Diabetes Prevention programme, visit www.lwtcsupport.co.uk/about