Diabetes affects every South African.
3 in 5 people with diabetes in South Africa are undiagnosed. And diabetes kills more people than TB, HIV and malaria combined. It is also the leading cause of death in South African women. This National Diabetes Month, know your diabetes number.
COULD YOU HAVE DIABTES?
Risk factors:
Picture: Reuters
Overweight or obese (BMI over 25), especially excess fat around your ‘tummy’ plus one or more of these factors:
Family history of diabetes
High-risk race (Asian Indian, Coloured)
Unhealthy lifestyle
Physical inactivity
High blood pressure (≥ 140/90 mmHg) or cholesterol problems
Cardiovascular (heart) disease history
Diabetes during pregnancy or a baby over 4kg
All adults over 45 years old should have an annual diabetes screening.
If you’re at risk, get screened this National Diabetes Month and you can start taking steps to a healthy future. Free screening is available at all public clinics and participating pharmacies across SA.
Did you know?
A patient suffering kidney failure gets kidney dialysis at a hospital in Hodeidah city, Yemen. Picture: Xinhua/Mohammed Mohammed
Diabetes is a leading cause of heart attacks, stroke, eye disease (blindness), kidney failure and lower limb amputations.
A healthy future
There is a diabetes epidemic in South Africa, but together we can turn it around.
The first step is knowing your diabetes number: screening takes a few minutes and will tell you if you’re at risk of developing diabetes.
Make healthy food choices. Picture: Supplied
If you’re at risk, what should you do?
1. Get screened
2. Make healthy food choices
3. Get active
4. Take your medication exactly as prescribed
