This year’s theme for World Diabetes Day is family – a perfect way to showcase physical activity and sport as a key way to reduce the impact of this disease.
The main aim of #WorldDiabetesDay2018 is to raise awareness of the impact that diabetes has on families and to promote the role of the family in the management, care, prevention and education of the condition.
The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) believes that 80% of cases of type 2 diabetes are preventable through a healthier lifestyle so physical activity and sport has a key role to play within families.
The IDF also state that when a family eats healthy meals and exercises together, all family members benefit, and it encourages behaviours that could help prevent type 2 diabetes.
Barry Kelly, London Sport’s Specialist Adviser on Physical Activity for Health, said:
“Physical activity and sport has a huge number of benefits of which reducing the risk of diabetes is a significant one.
“The figures show that diabetes has a huge impact on health across the world so any interventions and campaigns that help reverse this trend should be supported.
“At London Sport we will always advocate the role that physical activity and sport has in the prevention and treatment of a range of health conditions.”
Positive Stories
Everyone loves a feel-good story and they can prove to be extremely powerful.
Hence, it was with great joy we found a series of features on the Diabetes UK website promoting the positive effect that exercise has had on real people across our country.
There’s the story of 64-year-old Eddie who was able to stop using insulin after taking up a free gym membership and Andrea who is completing the Bath Half Marathon.
Read more on the Diabetes UK website.
Physical Activity for Health
These tales are just a few examples of how physical activity and sport can have a hugely positive impact on people’s lives from a health perspective – whether it’s mental or physical.
That’s why at the London Sport Awards 2019 we’ll be celebrating the very best programmes, projects and campaigns that have used physical activity and sport to improve health outcomes.
For further details about the Physical Activity for Health Award click here or learn more about last year’s winner Move It, Lose It by watching the video below.
