World Diabetes Day – 14 November 2024

Diabetes affects millions in the world every year and it is no different here. It can be attributed to a number of factors- like eating lots of fatty or processed foods, not getting enough exercise, not paying attention to health related needs and concentrating only on work. Diabetes has been labelled a silent killer as it is a metabolic disease which sets in quietly, with no pronounced symptoms at the beginning. Also, most of us consider it to be a death sentence of sorts- a condition which will never get any better. It is just a condition that requires some careful planning and consideration to be managed systematically.

Why Celebrate World Diabetes Day-

Every year in November, we celebrate World Diabetes Day on the 14th. November is also the month for diabetes awareness. There are different kinds of diabetes and treatment approaches may vary accordingly. Even if we all seem to know about the condition itself, how many of us actually think that it could affect us and strive to live differently? We are all guilty of making poor dietary choices and not exercising because it is just more convenient for us. Celebrating this health awareness day in India is super crucial as we are only second to China in the world- for the number of affected individuals. What is more, diabetes can predispose you to suffering from other conditions like high blood pressure and cholesterolemia too. Diabetics need proper treatment or preventive measures in place for maintenance. Very few people get treatment because most are not even aware that they may be diabetic.

Theme for this Year-

The WHO celebrates this day with several organisations and countries to advocate better for this condition and to help people understand what diabetes can do to them- both physically and mentally. The International Diabetes Foundation (IDF) estimates that by 2045, almost 80 crore people will have diabetes in the world. Since being prediabetic means no symptoms are present, many people don’t get bothered to check and remain undiagnosed. It is especially bad for young teenagers. The healthcare sector spends a lot of resources and money in treating affected individuals. The IDF and WHO have set up some goals like the following-

• To diagnose at least 80% of affected individuals by 2030
• These people should then learn how to manage their condition effectively
• 60% of the affected population should get statins as needed
• Everyone who has auto-immune Type 1 diabetes should get proper treatment

The theme for this year is ‘Breaking Barriers, Bridging Gaps’, with a special focus on diabetic care and diagnosis till the year 2026.

You may wonder why we celebrate World Diabetes Day on November 14. It is to commemorate the discovery of insulin (in 1922) by Sir Frederick Banting, who was born on this day. At present, almost 55 crore adults may develop diabetes due to poor lifestyle choices. They may have to deal with insulin resistance and may be prediabetic before they become completely diabetic.

Conclusion

What can we do then? We can try to eat smaller meals on time, meal plan properly, use good quality produce every day, whole grains and minimally processed items, while also getting regular health related assessments every year. We should teach children and the elderly to look for symptoms like excessive thirst and urination, so that they can get checked soon. Gestational diabetes is a unique condition that seems to affect only pregnant women, but it does leave them more susceptible to developing Type 2 diabetes later on in their lives. So, making healthy choices- in the form of diet, exercise and getting treatment at the right time are literally the only ways to live, going forward.