November is National Diabetes Month in the East Midlands. NHS England and Diabetes UK are encouraging residents to take preventive measures against Type 2 Diabetes, like eating healthier and being more physically active and managing your weight.

In the East Midlands, diabetes prevention is coordinated through the NHS Healthier You NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme. From July 2019 to September 2024, 92,055 participants have started the programme in the Midlands, with a mean weight change of -3.2kg in participants who have finished and engaged with at least 60% of the programme.

Fay is a Healthier You Programme participant from Nottinghamshire. She said:

“I didn’t realize until fairly recently that I was at high risk which scared me a bit. Thankfully, having something like Healthier You to turn to makes it less scary. It feels more manageable, and you feel like you can take action to address it. Sure, there might be setbacks along the way, but you bounce back from them. I find it much easier to do that now.

“My main focus was to lower my blood sugar levels, especially knowing the impact of diabetes. I’m aware of how terrible I feel when I don’t eat properly, so I’m determined to avoid that feeling. I prioritise eating whole, nutritious foods, and when my budget allows, I opt for organic options. Cooking my own meals is important to me because it allows me to control what goes into my food.”

“I’ve noticed significant improvements in my health and energy levels since making changes. Being active helps me ensure I get a good night’s sleep, which is important to me. For most of my life, I’ve felt tired, and I’m certain it’s due to my sugar intake. With a healthier diet and increased activity levels, I’ve seen positive changes. My main focus was to lower my blood sugar levels, especially knowing the impact of diabetes. I’m aware of how terrible I feel when I don’t eat properly, so I’m determined to avoid that feeling. I prioritise eating whole, nutritious foods, and when my budget allows, I opt for organic options.”

“Overall, I found the course to be incredibly well-organized and beneficial. Having an enthusiastic instructor made all the difference; we were able to support each other and engage in meaningful discussions. I’m truly grateful for the opportunity to participate.”

Dr Azhar Farooqi, Co-Clinical Director, Diabetes for the Midlands Cardiovascular Disease and Respiratory Network, said: “While age and ethnicity or medical history may be factors in some people’s risk for developing diabetes, the best thing you can do to lower your risk is to eat more healthily, lose weight if needed so you have a healthy weight and move more and exercise.”

“If you have symptoms of diabetes or suspect that you could have hypertension, then please get a blood pressure check and a blood test at your GP Practice.“

Learn more about diabetes detection and prevention on the Healthier You site. Diabetes UK also has helpful information and advice about preventing diabetes on their site.