Xoom
  • Home (current)
  • Covid-19 Advisory
  • About Us
    • Vision, Mission & Core Values
    • Medical Board
    • The Team
    • Our Authorised Partner Pharmacies
    • Our Awards
    • Telehealth Awards
  • Our Services
    • For Healthcare Providers
    • For Pharmacy
    • For Corporates
    • Prime Care Plan
    • Vaccination
    • RTKIS
    • COVID-19 HOME CARE PLAN
  • MEDIA CENTRE
    • PRESS RELEASE
    • MEDIA KIT
    • NEWSROOM
  • Health Tips
  • ePharmacyNew!
    • Malaysia

Health Tips

  • Home
  • Health Tips
  • Access to Diabetes Care: If Not Now, When?
  • Health Topics

    • All
    • Autoimmune diseases
    • Bone's health
    • Brain disorders
    • Breastfeeding
    • Cancer
    • Children's health
    • Cholesterol
    • Common ailments
    • Contraceptives
    • COVID-19/ Vaccines
    • Diabetes
    • Eyes
    • Fasting
    • Food
    • Gastrointestinal
    • General health and wellness
    • Heart diseases
    • Hypertension
    • Kidney
    • Liver
    • Medical device
    • Medications
    • Men's health
    • Mental health
    • Oral health
    • Other diseases
    • Pain
    • Pregnancy
    • Respiratory diseases
    • Sexual health
    • Skin
    • Sleep problems
    • Supplements
    • Urinary
    • Vaccinations
    • Women's health

It's World Diabetes Day! 1


Image from: World Diabetes Day

Diabetes, along with its growing health threats, has been a concern among people. This is the reason why World Diabetes Day was launched in 1991 as a response from the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and the World Health Organization (WHO). 1

Marked every year on the 14th of November, World Diabetes Day (WDD) is not only an official United Nations (UN) awareness day, but it is also the biggest diabetes awareness campaign in the world. 1

Let us understand more about diabetes this World Diabetes Day!

 

How does diabetes affect my health?

The high blood glucose level in diabetic patients can cause damage to their bodies, possibly leading to serious and dangerous health complications. 4 Some common diabetic complications include:

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD)

Also known as heart disease, CVD is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality (death) for people with diabetes, accounting for one-third to half of all deaths. 4

Kidney damage

Diabetes is one of the most common causes of kidney failure. From 2003 to 2016, Malaysia recorded the highest average yearly increase in the incidence rate of treated end-stage renal disease (ESRD, also known as end-stage kidney disease or kidney failure) due to diabetes as the primary cause. 5,6,7

Diabetic retinopathy (DR)

Do you know that diabetes is the cause of 2.6% of global blindness? Diabetic retinopathy is caused by long-term cumulative damage to the retina’s small blood vessels. However, it can still be prevented by early diagnosis and treatment, which is why DR screening is important for diabetic individuals. 4,5

Nerve damage in the feet

When nerve damage (neuropathy) is combined with restricted blood flow in the feet, the risk of foot ulcers, infection, and the eventual need for lower limb amputation (the surgical removal of a body part) increases. 5,8


Learn more about diabetes and heart disease/ kidney disease here:

Can diabetes affect my heart?

Diabetes hurt your kidney too?


 

These complications might sound scary, but do note that it is possible for them to be delayed or prevented altogether as long as diabetes is properly managed. 4

 

Access to Diabetes Care

The theme of World Diabetes Day from 2021 to 2023 is "Access to Diabetes Care". 9

It is known that diabetic patients need ongoing care and support in order to have better management of their condition. Some essential components of diabetes care include 9 :


Image from: World Diabetes Day

About Self-monitoring:

  • Blood glucose. Self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) is important as it allows you to evaluate how your everyday activities, food intake, and medications affect your blood glucose levels.10
     
  • Blood pressure. High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, increases the risk of heart disease. This is why home blood pressure monitoring is also important for diabetes patients.10
     
  • Body weight. It is important for obese or overweight Type 2 Diabetes patients to lose weight as well. 10

 

About Healthy Food:

According to the Malaysian Diabetes Educators Society, the fundamentals of a healthy eating pattern include 10 :

  • More fruits and vegetables
  • Wholegrains
  • Legumes, nuts and pulses
  • Healthy fats
  • Less sugar and salt

 

How can you get involved?

  1. WDD Online Petition
    Support the WDD online petition to pledge your support for greater access to diabetes care. 11

     Image from: World Diabetes Day

     
  2. Diabetes Risk Assessment
    Encourage the people around you to learn more about the potential risk of type 2 diabetes with online assessment. 11

     Image from: World Diabetes Day

     
  3. Wear Blue
    Whichever way you exercise, make sure to wear blue and show your support for #WorldDiabetesDay and the #IfNotNowWhen campaign. 11

     
  4. Blue Circle Selfies
    Share your blue circle selfies on social media channels. 11

     
  5. WDD Resources
    Share WDD resources (logo, posters, infographics, online banners and social media) through social media or on your website. 11

     Image from: World Diabetes Day

 

Access to diabetes care, if not now, when? We hope you have learnt more about diabetes this World Diabetes Day!

 

 

References:

  1. World Diabetes Day. About WDD. Available at https://worlddiabetesday.org/about/. Accessed on: 19th October 2021
  2. Institute for Public Health 2020. National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2019. Non-communicable diseases, healthcare demand, and health literacy-Key Findings.
  3. National Cancer Institute. Definition of complication. Available at https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms/def/complication. Accessed on: 24th October 2021
  4. IDF (International Diabetes Federation). IDF Diabetes Atlas Ninth edition 2019. Available at https://www.diabetesatlas.org/upload/resources/material/20200302_133351_IDFATLAS9e-final-web.pdf. Accessed on: 19th October 2021
  5. World Health Organization (WHO). Diabetes. Available at https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/diabetes. Accessed on: 19th October 2021
  6. United States Renal Data System. Chapter 11: International Comparisons. Available at https://www.usrds.org/media/1738/v2_c11_intcomp_18_usrds.pdf. Accessed on: 24th October 2021
  7. Mayo Clinic. End-stage renal disease. Available at https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/end-stage-renal-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20354532. Accessed on: 24th October 2021
  8. NHS. Amputation. Available at https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/amputation/. Accessed on: 24th October 2021
  9. World Diabetes Day. Key messages. Available at https://worlddiabetesday.org/about/key-messages/. Accessed on: 19th October 2021
  10. Malaysian Diabetes Educators Society. Diabetes Education Manual 2020. Available at https://www2.moh.gov.my/index.php/database_stores/attach_download/554/79. Accessed on: 3rd November 2021
  11. World Diabetes Day. Access to diabetes care, If not now when Campaign Toolkit 2021. Available at https://worlddiabetesday.org/wddbrk/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/WDD21-Toolkit-EN-final.pdf. Accessed on: 3rd November 2021.

 

 

-This article is supported by MSD-

MY-NON-00111 Nov/2021

 

Tags :

  • diabetes |
  • diabetes complications |
  • World Diabetes Day

Share :

Written By

Ms. Su Pei Wen

More Top Reads

Access to Diabetes Care: If Not Now, When?

It's World Diabetes Day! 1...

Nov 14, 2021

Can diabetes affect my heart?

Yes! Diabetes can affect o...

Oct 21, 2021

Catch and Manage Diabetes Early

Diabetes is a growing concern ...

Jul 20, 2021

WHY DO I HAVE TO RUN TO THE BATHROOM TO POOP AFTER EATING?

Do you have that pooping s...

Nov 24, 2019

Help! How Can I Tell between a Positive Pregnancy Test or an Evaporation Line?

Whether a pregnancy test t...

Oct 08, 2019

8 WHYS YOUR TODDLER BLINKING HARD (COMPLETE LIST)

A toddler blinking hard or fas...

Jan 08, 2019

Recommended For You

Can we reverse type 2 diabetes?

With approximately two out...

Nov 23, 2020

How diabetes causes erectile dysfunction in men?

Diabetes is a metabolic disord...

Jul 01, 2020

Diabetes: The Projection Decades Later

Diabetes: The Projection D...

Nov 14, 2019

Latest Article

Nutritional Strategies to Optimize Overall Fitness during Ramadan

5 Nutritional Strategies to Op...

Mar 23, 2023

6 ways to boost happy hormones

6 ways to boost happy hormones...

Mar 20, 2023

How you can get a good night's sleep

How you can get a good night's...

Mar 17, 2023

All You Need to Know About Weight Loss Medicine

All You Need to Know About Wei...

Mar 04, 2023

How to Prevent Eating Disorders in Children

How to Prevent Eating Disorder...

Feb 20, 2023

5 Heart-Healthy Food For A Perfect Valentine's Day

5 Heart-Healthy Food For A Per...

Feb 14, 2023

Introducing DOC2US, Your Trusted Online Doctor. With its name synonymous to “talk to us”, DOC2US is a mobile application that allows you to talk to a doctor or any healthcare professionals via text chat at any time and from anywhere.

USEFUL LINKS

  • Home
  • About Us
  • For Pharmacy
  • Health Tips
  • Feedback
  • Fun Facts
  • Contact Us
  • FAQ
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms
  • Telemedicine Policy
  • Medicine e-Prescription SOP

SITEMAP

Copyright © 2023 HEYDOC INTERNATIONAL SDN. BHD. (1141230-T) - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED  |   Powered by etc web design