People in Northamptonshire are being urged to reduce their risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by making some simple changes to their lifestyle ahead of Diabetes Prevention Week, which runs from 10-16 May.

Auriol North, 71, from Northampton has benefitted greatly from the NHS Diabetes Prevention programme.

People living with diabetes face a significantly higher risk of dying with COVID-19, with over a quarter of deaths in Northamptonshire associated with the condition according to local NHS statistics. However, better management of the condition can help improve control and lead to better outcomes.

More than 4.8 million people in the UK have diabetes; this is equal to one in 14 people. Around 90% of people with diabetes have Type 2 diabetes, which can be prevented or delayed through being more physically active, eating healthily and managing your weight. The health complications of getting Type 2 diabetes can be serious and life changing – this could be loss of sight, loss of limbs, increased risk of heart disease, stroke & kidney disease.

Black and South Asian people have a higher risk of getting Type 2 diabetes after the age of 25, compared with those from a White background where risk increases after the age of 40.

Anyone at high risk of developing the condition may be eligible to join their local Healthier You: NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme, a joint initiative from NHS England and NHS Improvement, Public Health England and Diabetes UK.

The programme supports people to make positive changes to their diet, weight and the amount of physical activity they do – to significantly reduce the risk of developing this disease.

As the first national initiative of its kind in the world, over half a million people have been referred on to the NHS prevention programme. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the programme is being delivered remotely via group video conference, or online through apps and websites. The programme provides personalised support to help people achieve a healthy weight, improve their diet and become more physically active, all together which have been shown to reduce the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

Dr Sanjay Gadhia, GP at Lakeside Healthcare, said:

“COVID-19 has shown us it is vital that people at risk of developing diabetes should act now. There has never been a more crucial time to lose weight, exercise more and eat more healthily.

“Access to trusted information and support is key to helping people manage their diabetes. The highly successful, world-leading NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme is helping hundreds of thousands of people take small steps to take control of their own health. In the Midlands, 37,799 people have attended the first session of the programme with an average weight loss of 3.1kg, 6 months after attending the first session.

“It’s very important that you find out if you are at high risk of Type 2 diabetes so you can get support to lower your risk. You may also be eligible to sign up for your free local Healthier You NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme. If you think you are at risk of type 2 diabetes, would like more information on the Healthier You: NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme or have any other concerns related to your health, please contact your GP. You can also complete the Diabetes UK ‘Know Your Risk’ tool (https://riskscore.diabetes.org.uk/start) to register yourself onto a free local Healthier You: NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme session.”

Auriol North, 71, from Northampton was called in by her GP for a routine cholesterol test but the results revealed she was at high risk of getting diabetes.

“My blood tests showed I was very much in the diabetes risk zone,” said Auriol. “It came as a total shock because I thought I ate quite well. However, when I thought about it, the weight had crept on over the years — a combination of not being as active as I could be and a fondness for sweet treats. So, it was very timely that I was invited to take part in the Healthier You: NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme, run by Ingeus.”

As a member of the WI and a grandmother of four, Auriol is a keen cake baker but she wanted to make changes to support her new lifestyle. “As my cakes are well received, I don’t want to tamper with the recipes. Instead, I’ve cut down on sweet treats myself and have stopped having sugar in my tea and coffee. I’ve also increased my walking.”
Auriol has lost 10lbs and had another blood test which showed that she’s reduced her diabetes risk significantly. “I feel much better and there have been some helpful changes like being able to bend down to tie my shoes instead of putting my foot on a step.”