November 14th is World Diabetes Awareness Day/November is American Awareness Month

According to the International Diabetes Foundation, some 382 million people worldwide are living with diabetes. At current growth rates, this number is estimated to reach 592 million by 2035. In 1991,the IDF, working in association with World Health Organization, introduced World Diabetes Day. Since then, November 14th has been designated around the world as the day that we take notice of the disease and work toward prevention.

World Diabetes Day (WDD) is celebrated every year on November 14. The World Diabetes Day campaign is led by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and its member associations. It engages millions of people worldwide in diabetes advocacy and awareness. World Diabetes Day was created in 1991 by the International Diabetes Federation and the World Health Organization in response to growing concerns about the escalating health threat that diabetes now poses. World Diabetes Day became an official United Nations Day in 2007 with the passage of United Nation Resolution 61/225. The campaign draws attention to issues of paramount importance to the diabetes world and keeps diabetes firmly in the public spotlight.

World Diabetes Day is a campaign that features a new theme chosen by the International Diabetes Federation each year to address issues facing the global diabetes community. While the themed campaigns last the whole year, the day itself is celebrated on November 14, to mark the birthday of Frederick Banting who, along with Charles Best, first conceived the idea which led to the discovery of insulin in 1921.

Visit the IDF website

In the United States, November is designated by the American Diabetes Association as American Diabetes Month©.

The vision of the American Diabetes Association is a life free of diabetes and all of its burdens. Raising awareness of this ever-growing disease is one of the main efforts behind the mission of the Association. American Diabetes Month® (ADM) is an important element in this effort, with programs designed to focus the nation’s attention on the issues surrounding diabetes and the many people who are impacted by the disease.

Here are just a few of the recent statistics on diabetes:

• Nearly 30 million children and adults in the United States have diabetes.
• Another 86 million Americans have prediabetes and are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes.
• The American Diabetes Association estimates that the total national cost of diagnosed diabetes in the United States is $245 billion.

Visit the American Diabetes Association website