Tag: diabetes

Research grant for Edinburgh project investigating new drug which could prevent injury to the heart after heart attack

A research project at the University of Edinburgh, led by Professor Gillian Gray, has been awarded £88,000 by Heart Research UK. Prof Gray’s team has discovered that a drug originally developed to treat obesity and diabetes also promotes repair of the heart after a heart attack and reduces the development of heart failure.

Now the team will use ‘mass spectrometry imaging’ (MSI) to look in more detail at the effects of the drug on the heart muscle.

Heart attacks occur when the blood flow to the heart is interrupted, causing damage that can weaken the heart and lead to heart failure. The new drug that has been discovered acts early after heart attack to prevent the spread of injury in the heart muscle and therefore has the potential to benefit many patients.

As obese and diabetic people are at higher risk of heart attack, the combined actions of the drug on the heart, fat and insulin make it particularly appealing.

The drug has already undergone safety tests in volunteers, so could now rapidly progress to human trials. However, the research team will first need to show that this new drug offers benefits over existing drugs used to treat heart failure.

To do this, the team will use MSI to further investigate the effects the drug has on the heart. It is anticipated that this will provide unique evidence that the biochemical pathways in the heart muscle affected by the drug are distinct from those affected by drugs already used to treat heart failure.

MSI uses a laser to collect samples from slices of tissues. Levels of substances in the body like cortisol and cholesterol breakdown products, that we expect to change after a heart attack and in response to the drug, can be measured in each spot targeted by the laser. This information can then be used to build a map of where they are found.

The MSI group, led by collaborator Professor Ruth Andrew, have already used this technique to visualise and measure activity of the enzyme targeted by the drug in the brain, liver and kidney.

They will prepare thin sections of heart muscle and use the laser to capture samples from injured areas and compare these to samples from healthy areas. MSI has enormous potential for helping to understand biochemical pathways in the heart but has never been systematically applied to heart tissue before.

Kate Bratt-Farrar, Chief Executive of Heart Research UK, said: “We’re very happy to be able to award one of our Novel and Emerging Technologies Grants to Professor Gray and her team.

“This project will generate novel MSI data from heart tissue which will provide vital information on how the drug affects the heart, and we’re proud to be a part of it.”

You can read more about and apply for Heart Research UK’s Research Grants here.

Healthy Heart Tips: Insulin and our Hearts

Insulin is an important hormone that allows sugar to move from our blood, after digesting food, into our muscles and fat cells to be either burned or stored.

Diabetes, is the name we give to the disease related to problems with our insulin. Whilst some types of Diabetes are caused by factors out of our control, Type 2 Diabetes can usually be prevented in younger individuals by adopting a healthy lifestyle. What’s more, most of the lifestyle actions we can take to limit our diabetes risk will also help to improve our heart health!

With this in mind, here are some tips for doing just that:

Eat more Fibre

Fibre can not only help to reduce cholesterol levels but also helps to slow down how quickly our blood sugar levels increase. Try and swap white pasta and bread for wholegrain options, eat more fruit and vegetables, and snack on unsalted nuts and seeds.

Create Activity Opportunities

Staying active is one of the most effective ways to maintain our weight and lower blood pressure. Consider how you can incorporate a minimum of one ‘activity opportunity’ every day, whether it’s walking the dog, cleaning your house, or dusting off your old bike. Remember to keep it fresh and do something you enjoy!

Take the 5% Challenge

Reducing our bodyweight by more than 5% is an effective way to positively manage our future health, however any weight loss is beneficial, so start small and build on your success! Remember to set a goal over a realistic timeframe; 0.5-2lb per week is sustainable.

Know Your Numbers

Eating excessive amounts of sugar over many years can be harmful to our health. Try and opt for foods with less than 5g of sugar per 100g most of the time, and limit high sugar foods such as fizzy drinks and sweets to less than twice per week.

To help keep your heart healthy, why not try out some of our Healthy Heart recipes from our website: https://heartresearch.org.uk/heart-research-uk-recipes-2/

Or have a look through our Healthy Heart cookbook filled with recipes from top chefs, celebrities and food bloggers:

https://heartresearch.org.uk/heart-research-uk-cookbook/

Roll-out of new diabetes test

World-leading test to improve diagnosis

A simple blood test for people with Type 1 diabetes enabling some patients to stop taking insulin is to be rolled out.

Scotland is the first country in the world to introduce this test which will be available from hospital diabetes centres from Monday (1 November).

Aimed to improve the accuracy of diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes, the routine testing of C-peptide allows doctors to work out how much insulin someone with diabetes is making themselves.

If C-peptide is present in significant amounts, then it may indicate that the person does not have Type 1 diabetes and that it may be possible to stop or reduce insulin treatment.

The roll-out follows a two year pilot study in NHS Lothian led by Diabetes and Endocrinology Consultant Professor Mark Strachan.

Public Health Minister Maree Todd said: “Diabetes is a clinical priority for this Government and we want to ensure that everyone living with diabetes in Scotland can access safe, effective and person-centred healthcare, treatment and support.

“Type 1 diabetes is a significant health challenge right across the world. I am proud that Scotland will be the first country to introduce this blood test which has the potential to have a significant positive impact on the lives of those people living with diabetes.”

Professor Mark Strachan said: “C-peptide helps diabetes specialists make a more accurate diagnosis of the cause of diabetes, and that means we can get people on the most appropriate treatment. In some instances, C-peptide testing allowed people to stop very long-standing insulin therapy; this can be life-transforming.

“If anyone has any concerns regarding their diabetes or wishes to know more about the new blood test, they should contact their diabetes clinical team who are best placed to provide specific advice and support based on their individual circumstances.”

There are approximately 315,000 people living with diabetes in Scotland.

The programme will be offered to people with a diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes of at least three years duration. C-peptide testing will be offered by hospital diabetes centres.

Scottish researchers investigate new treatment for diabetes to combat sight loss

Researchers in Scotland are investigating a new treatment for diabetes which they hope could reduce one of the most common complications of the condition – sight loss.

The team of scientists, funded by the British Heart Foundation (BHF), are aiming to find new ways of preventing diabetic retinopathy (DR) and have been given a grant of £286,000 for the study, which is being led by Professor Mirela Delibegovic in collaboration with clinical colleagues Professor John Forrester and Dr Lucia Kuffova at the University of Aberdeen.

People living with cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure can develop a condition called retinal microvascular disease and this is increased in the presence of diabetes.

Diabetic retinopathy is one of the most common complications of diabetes. Those with DR develop damage, often permanent, to the retina – the light-sensing layer inside the eyeball – and as a result, are at risk of losing their sight.

People in the UK known to have diabetes are offered retinal screening once a year to detect signs of changes in the retina caused by DR. This new project aims to identify physical signs of DR when they occur, but before they lead to loss of vision, and to help find treatments to prevent it from developing.

Professor Delibegovic (above), who is the Director of the Aberdeen Cardiovascular Disease Centre at the University of Aberdeen, explains: “Given its nature, DR is a significant and worrying complication of diabetes and so it is important that we understand more about it and find ways to reduce and prevent it.

“In addition, as Type 2 diabetes – the most common type of diabetes – can often go undetected and undiagnosed for many years, up to 40% of people with Type 2 diabetes already have signs of DR when they are first diagnosed with the condition. Being able to intervene sooner could make a real difference for people living with diabetes.”

Over the next 3 years, the team will investigate if inhibition of an enzyme, called PTP1B, will lead to protection against retinal microvascular disease and diabetic retinopathy.

The BHF is the largest independent funder of research into heart and circulatory diseases in Scotland and this project is one of more than 100 research projects currently underway in ten universities across Scotland.

James Jopling, Head of BHF Scotland, said: “This is an important project which could benefit patients living with heart and circulatory disease and diabetes. As such, it is vital we understand more about diabetic retinopathy.

“Research projects like this one in Aberdeen help inform how we treat patients, identify those at particular risk and ultimately find new ways to save and improve lives.”

For more information on the BHF’s life saving research and the work of the BHF visit www.bhf.org.uk

Clinical trial provides new approach for people with eye disease to increase NHS capacity

A UK-wide study, led by Queen’s University Belfast, has shown how a new surveillance pathway for people with stable diabetic eye disease is safe and cost-saving, freeing up ophthalmologists to evaluate and treat people requiring urgent care. 

The new health care surveillance pathway may help ophthalmic units across the world to improve their capacity whilst saving patient’s sight. It is already having a positive impact on the re-design of NHS services across the UK, having been implemented successfully in several hospitals. 

The research, funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), has been published in leading journals including Ophthalmology, BMJ and NIHR’s Health Technology Assessment. 

The EMERALD (the Effectiveness of Multimodal imaging for the Evaluation of Retinal oedemA and new VesseLs in Diabetic retinopathy) diagnostic accuracy study tested a new “ophthalmic grader” pathway. Rather than ophthalmologists, this pathway involves trained graders monitoring people with previously treated and stable complications of diabetic eye disease, namely diabetic macular oedema (DMO) and proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR), based on the reading of images and scans of the back of their eyes.  

The grader’s pathway can save £1390 per 100 patients, and the real savings are the ophthalmologist’s time, which can then be redirected to the evaluation of people at high risk of visual loss. 

Professor Noemi Lois, lead researcher and Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology from the Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine at Queen’s University Belfast, explains: “Diabetic macular oedema and proliferative diabetic retinopathy, the main sight-threatening complications of diabetic retinopathy can cause blindness if left untreated. It is therefore important to diagnose them and to treat them timely.

“NHS hospitals eye units are under significant pressure given the extremely high number of people that need to be examined and treated and given the insufficient number of ophthalmologists in the UK. Currently, ophthalmologists need to evaluate all patients, even those that are stable after treatment and who are doing well.” 

In EMERALD, trained ophthalmic graders were found to achieve satisfactory results when compared to standard care (i.e., ophthalmologists evaluating patients in clinic) while releasing ophthalmologist’s time. 

Professor Lois added: “EMERALD showed trained ophthalmic graders are able to determine whether patients with diabetic macular oedema or proliferative diabetic retinopathy previously successfully treated remain stable or if on them the disease has reactivated.  

“Thus, they would be able to follow people that have been already treated, releasing ophthalmologists’ time. Ophthalmologists could then use this time to treat timely other patients, for example, those who have indeed diabetic macular oedema or active proliferative diabetic retinopathy and who have not yet received treatment saving their sight.” 

Dr Clare Bailey, consultant ophthalmologist at the Bristol Eye Hospital, said: “The important data from the EMERALD study has helped us to significantly increase the numbers of people with diabetic retinopathy being seen in ‘imaging/grading’ pathways.

“This has hugely increased our follow-up capacity, whilst allowing ophthalmologists’ time to be directed to the people with diabetic retinopathy who need treatment or further assessment. 

“This has helped us to deal with the capacity pressures as a result of Covid -19 as well as the longer-term capacity demands due to the increasing prevalence of diabetic retinopathy.” 

Dr Caroline Styles, Consultant Ophthalmologist with NHS Fife, added: “Emerald provided us in NHS Fife with the relevant evidence that allowed us to redesign our pathways for people with diabetic eye disease.

“The involvement of people with diabetes in this study reassures our population that these are safe and appropriate changes, and not just based on cost.” 

The EMERALD study was set in 13 National Health Service (NHS) hospitals across the UK and is a large multicentric, UK-wide, National Institute for Health Research (NIHR)-funded diagnostic accuracy study. 

Diabetic drivers need to declare condition, says insurance experts

A leading Insurance comparison website is warning that many motorists with diabetes risk a hefty fine if they fail to declare the condition to the Driver and Vehicle Licencing Agency (DVLA).

Quotezone.co.uk also warns that policies could be void and claims disputed if diabetic drivers have not declared the disease to their insurer – and that includes those newly diagnosed.

As the pandemic-induced lockdowns forced people to alter their lifestyles with the closure of gyms, restricted exercise and reported spike in fast food takeaways – elements which can increase a person’s chances of developing the disease – it may lead to a surge of people being diagnosed with diabetes.

According to research from Manchester University, the first lockdown in April 2020 led to diagnosis rates falling 70% on the 10-year average.  

It estimates that more than 45,000 type 2 diagnoses were either missed or delayed between March and July alone, creating an imminent surge in new diabetes patients as things slowly begin to open up. 

Diabetes UK states that there are nearly five million people with the disease in the UK: 90% with type 2, 8% with type 1 and the remainder with rarer types. The charity predicts diabetes could rise to five and a half million by 2030 and 13.6 million are at risk of becoming type 2 sufferers.

The charity shared the following advice to show the various levels of restrictions for drivers with diabetes:

  • Those who have suffered a severe hypoglycaemia (hypo) attack at the wheel or while awake in past year-stop driving and tell the DVLA straight away.Driving licences will be revoked but can be applied for again after three months. Severe hypo attacks do not need to be declared if sufferer experiences it asleep.
  • Prescribed insulin – apply to the DVLA for a restricted licence – one to three years. Temporary insulin users do not need to tell the DVLA.
  • Medication that can risk hypos –a severe hypo while awake in a 12-month period, stop driving and tell the DVLA. Driving licence will be revoked, but can be reapplied for 3 months later.
  • Other diabetes medication or new exercise and diet – no need to tell the DVLA.

The penalties for not declaring a medical condition can result in a £1,000 fine and the risk of prosecution if the driver is involved in an accident.  

In addition to diabetes, motorists with heart issues and other conditions such as epilepsy, sleep apnoea, strokes should visit  the DVLA’s website for more information.

Greg Wilson, Founder of Quotezone.co.uk, comments:  “A serious medical diagnosis on top of the fear of losing transportation and independence can be devasting. On a more positive note,  many conditions and medications won’t impair driving, which the DVLA and insurers recognise.

“However, anyone whose condition or medication could affect their driving needs to keep the DVLA up to date. It won’t necessarily mean a permanent loss of a licence and many successfully reapply when their condition is managed and the risk declines.  It is however essential that all drivers are properly covered with an accurate policy, to protect themselves and other road users.

“If a motorist sees their premiums go up due to the insurer’s updated risk assessment, and it looks like they might be priced out of affordable insurance, they should shop around for new quotes – insurance comparison websites are a good place to start.”

Quotezone.co.uk is one of the country’s leading price comparison platforms, helping over 3 million users find a more competitive deal each year on everything from car insurance and motorbike insurance to caravan and motorhome insurance. 

Bodysuit designed to support insulin pump users

An Edinburgh Napier product design student has created a bodysuit that aims to make it easier for women affected by type 1 diabetes to wear an insulin pump with any type of clothing.

Final year student Katarzyna Pohorecka has developed ‘Mude’ – a range of six nude-coloured bodysuits that contain a specially designed pouch that discreetly holds an insulin pump.

The work – which is being exhibited this week as part of the University’s online Degree Show – has been created after a gap in the market was identified for a product that allowed female insulin pump users to wear their pump under their clothes.

The inclusive range – which has been completely designed and sewn by Kat as part of her fourth year studies at Edinburgh Napier – comes in six different colours and in sizes XS to XXL.

Kat was inspired to create the range of bodysuits – which can also be worn as an individual item of clothing rather than as underwear – after her research showed that women regularly have issues wearing certain types of clothing, especially lighter clothes and dresses, while using an insulin pump.

Kat said: “My best friend has type 1 diabetes and she’s often remarked to me that she can’t wear certain items of clothing because they are just not compatible with her insulin pump.

“I started researching this area and I found that despite there being some accessories such as belts and bumbags to help with wearing an insulin pump, there was nothing specifically made with comfort and discreetness in mind.

“Mude – which takes its names from the word miód which is Polish for honey and nude which reflects the colours I have used – has been designed with these two aspects in mind. I wanted to create something that allowed women to wear any item of clothing along with their insulin pump.

“I’ve always been a believer that clothing – and the fashion industry as a whole – should be doing more to make clothing inclusive for all. I have designed the range in six colours and in a variety of sizes as I aim to make it as accessible for as many people as possible.

“Now that my time at Edinburgh Napier has come to an end, I’m really keen to continue pursuing my idea and would love to bring Mude to market, putting it on sale for those affected by type 1 diabetes who feel they could benefit from something like this.

“Design for a social impact has always been incredibly important to me and I’m hopeful of meeting this goal throughout the remainder of the year.”

The Edinburgh Napier Degree Show runs from 2 June. More information and to view this year’s work, visit here.

East of Scotland leads the way in tackling type 2 diabetes

A pioneering, inter-agency partnership, led by NHS Lothian, NHS Fife, NHS Borders and the six local authorities in the region, is working together to reduce type 2 diabetes across the East of Scotland.

Type 2 diabetes has been on the rise across the country for the past decade, having a significant impact on the lives of individuals and health of Scotland’s population as a whole.

Over 62,000 people are living with type 2 diabetes in the East of Scotland – around 5% of the total population – and there are over 3,700 new cases in the region each year.

Recognising that diet and excess weight is driven by a range of environmental, societal and individual factors, regional health and social care providers have joined forces with stakeholders from the public, third and private sectors to advance sustainable change.

Growing evidence of the link between obesity and an increased risk of complications from COVID-19 has reinforced the importance of this shared vision, compounded by the measures recently revealed as part of the UK government’s new obesity strategy.

With national investment of £1.46 million in the East of Scotland programme this year, regional director Nicky Waters said: “Our programme is a priority initiative – reflecting the need for urgent action to reduce the prevalence of type 2 diabetes in Scotland and support people to lead healthy lifestyles.

“By adopting a Whole Systems Approach and bringing a wide range of partners together, our programme is centred on tackling structural, systemic root causes – such as poverty, inequality and childhood trauma – and the part that we all need to play in addressing them.”

Four core intervention programmes – Get Moving with Counterweight, Type 2 Diabetes Remission through Counterweight Plus, Gestational Diabetes education and Let’s Prevent Diabetes – are being rolled out across the region, with partners taking advantage of technology to support people throughout the pandemic.

Over 1900 adults have been referred to Get Moving with Counterweight and the remission programme since October 2019, with 60 patients currently taking part in Counterweight Plus.

Counterweight Plus, a free two-year programme being delivered by specialist NHS dietitians, is based on ground-breaking evidence from the Diabetes Remission Clinical Trial (DiRECT).

A combination of intensive, long-term support and Total Diet Replacement (TDR) of nutritional shakes and soups, is key to the intervention’s success.

Jenny*, a patient going through Counterweight Plus in Lothian, has overcome various hurdles to continue on the programme at home throughout the pandemic – receiving virtual support whilst juggling family and working life under lockdown.

Despite the challenges, Jenny’s blood glucose results, weight loss and largely positive experience to date, all indicate that she’s heading in the right direction. She said: “The programme hasn’t been easy but the consistent emotional support and awareness of the long-term health benefits has really spurred me on. I’ve lost twenty kilos since I was first diagnosed and feel great because of it.”

Jonathan Hayes, the dietitian supporting Jenny, reflected: “It’s brilliant to see that, despite this unprecedented situation, there are people out there like Jenny who have turned things around for the positive. And who stand a very good chance of coming out of the pandemic, having put their type 2 diabetes into remission. That is an incredible outcome.”

Partners are also working together to design services to meet the Children and Young People Weight Management Delivery Standards for Scotland and develop effective prevention initiatives.

Regional health and social care providers are further committed to improving the working environment for their 84,000 employees and local areas are rolling out community based pilot projects to test a Whole Systems Approach (WSA) to diet and healthy weight.

Laurie Eyles, one of the newly appointed professional advisers for diet and healthy weight at the Scottish Government, who prior to this had been supporting partners as the programme’s clinical lead, said: “From delivering targeted interventions, to addressing the widespread issue of weight stigma and tackling the health inequalities which exist across the region – partners are committed to making lasting improvements to the environment in which we live.

“It is this that will allow us to build an East of Scotland where we eat well, have a healthy weight and are physically active – reducing our risk of developing type 2 diabetes for the long-term.”

For weight management and type 2 diabetes support during this time, please visit:

To find out more about the programme, services and how to self-refer, please visit our website: www.eost2d.scot.nhs.uk

Cut down on sugar in your drinks

Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by Dr Helen Flaherty, Head of Health Promotion at Heart Research UK

Cut down on sugar in your drinks

TODAY 14th November is World Diabetes Day. Consuming too much sugar in your diet can lead to weight-gain as well as increasing your risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

Over a quarter of the added sugar in our diets is believed to come from the drinks we consume. The focus of this week’s tip is on reducing the amount of sugar in your drinks.

Choose sugar-free or reduced-sugar drinks

When you feel thirsty, water is always the best option. Try swapping your sugary soft drink for a glass of water or a sugar-free or reduced-sugar drink. If you are not keen on the taste of water, you could try adding a slice of lemon and/or some mint leaves.

 

Save sugary drinks for an occasional treat

If you don’t want to stop drinking your favourite sugary drink permanently, try limiting the amount you drink by consuming it less frequently and in smaller quantities. Unsweetened fruit juices and smoothies also contain sugar, so try to limit your intake to no more than 150ml a day.

Avoid adding sugar, syrups and honey to hot drinks

If you usually add sugar, syrups or honey to hot drinks, why not gradually reduce the amount you add, until you can cut it out altogether. Alternatively, you could use an artificial sweetener, however this will not help you to adjust your taste preference for sweet drinks.

Cut down on sugar from alcoholic drinks

Alcoholic drinks can be high in sugar. A pint of cider contains around five teaspoons of sugar. Try to reduce your sugar intake by consuming alcoholic drinks less frequently, in smaller measures and by combining alcoholic drinks with sugar-free or reduced-sugar mixers, such as sugar-free tonic water.

A recent report from Action on Sugar identified very high levels of sugar in ready to drink alcoholic beverages, such as cans of ready mixed cocktails (http://www.actiononsugar.org/media/actiononsugar/Alcohol-Survey-Report.pdf).

For more healthy tips, recipes and advice, please visit heartresearch.org.uk.

World Diabetes Day tomorrow: Does your employer take diabetes seriously?

Does your employer take diabetes seriously?

Education, flexibility, training and risk assessment are some ways that employers up and down the country can provide support to diabetic employees.

Health and safety experts at CE Safety have revealed actionable steps for employers to ensure that they have the correct workplace procedures to deal with a diabetic emergency.

It is World Diabetes Day on November 14th, prompting CE Safety to offer guidance about first aid and diabetes in the workplace. With 4.8 million people in the UK living with diabetes, employers should be clued up and support staff who have the disease.

This is especially important in the time of Covid-19, as research has revealed that people with diabetes are at greater risk of dying from the virus. People with diabetes should be taking steps to look after themselves to avoid complications, such as maintaining healthy blood sugar targets and staying fit and healthy.

It is a basic minimum standard to ensure workplaces are risk assessed and suitable for diabetics.

A spokesperson for CE Safety says: “Diabetes is a lifelong serious condition and involves having to control the blood glucose levels in the body to stop it getting too high, which can be dangerous. Among the different types of diabetes, type 1 and type 2 are the most common.

“Huge efforts to raise awareness about the chronic condition are being made around the globe, and not without reason. The statistics on people who already have the disease are stark enough, however, experts also believe there are more than 13 million people in the UK who are at risk or already have undiagnosed type 2 diabetes.

“The team at CE Safety deliver health and safety training in the workplace and feel passionate about ensuring every place of work has the correct procedures and policies to look after their staff.”

Here are practical steps for business owners to support employees with diabetes:

Open up the conversation

Allowing the conversation to open up, and having an honest chat around diabetes can help in a variety of ways. It can improve the mental health and wellbeing of the employee; remove any discrimination; employers can gain an understanding of how staff are coping, and provide a forum to outline initiatives and measures which everyone gains from.

Educate yourself on the disease

There are alarming numbers of people out there who don’t even understand the disease they’re living with, so it’s unlikely that employers without diabetes will fully understand it. There are many resources out there so a quick read will give you a lot of insight. For example, did you know that there’s a link between diabetes and depression?

Be flexible

Understanding what your staff with diabetes need, means you can then put measures in place to help them. Be accommodating for attending healthcare appointments for starters, but also support them around working hours, any modified equipment they need or simply show patience for when the disease becomes debilitating. It’s not easy to balance work with managing a disease.

Provide privacy

Staff with diabetes may need to take injections of insulin or check blood sugar levels throughout the working day. Give them a private and clean space to do this, which will provide peace of mind and inclusivity, and even reduce stress.

Revisit working practices

Do your terms allow for assessing a worker on an individual basis? For example, some employees may benefit from flexible working patterns or a higher level of sick leave. Diabetes can cause short and long term complications, so factor this into any relevant policies.

Train your staff in first aid

Your workforce should know what to do in an emergency situation, but do they know what to do in a diabetic emergency? Pass on the information you have gathered.

Do a diagnostic diabetes risk assessment

Get the overall picture of your workforce. Understand the full health picture of your staff, then you can take steps towards pinning down your approach, ensuring the workplace is prepared, safe and supportive to those who need it.

Look at your company culture

As well as supporting people who already have diabetes, there are many improvements employers can make to do their bit in eradicating the disease. We know there is plenty that can be done to avoid getting type 2 diabetes. Promote healthier choices in available food and drink, encourage work-life balance and exercise, and have policies around mental wellbeing.

Stop sitting down

A study in the journal Diabetologia discovered that people who sit still for long periods of time double the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, even if they exercise too.

The NHS says many adults in the UK sit for about nine hours a day, and that living a sedentary lifestyle is linked to obesity, type 2 diabetes, some types of cancer and early death.

Because many people spend hours sitting at a desk while at work, employers should be finding ways to reverse this problem. For example, encourage people to take the stairs, set reminders to stand, create standing workstations, go for a walk while speaking on the phone or regular coffee breaks.

For further information on diabetes and first aid, please see –

https://cesafety.co.uk/diabetes-and-first-aid-how-to-help-in-a-workplace-emergency/