The French Association of Diabetics is renewing for the second consecutive year the “National Diabetes Prevention Week.” For this new edition, the AFD is emphasizing prevention. A real public health issue that continues to grow worldwide, diabetes affects 3.5 million French people, with an estimated 700,000 undiagnosed.
“Due to late diagnosis and inappropriate follow-up, the financial cost of diabetes care is increasingly high. Patients are increasingly exposed to disabling or even fatal complications of the disease; that is why we have placed this National Week under the sign of awareness and prevention,” comments Gérard Raymond, President of the AFD.
The volunteers of the French Association of Diabetics in the Alpes-Maritimes will be mobilized and present on Monday, June 3 in Nice at the RSI offices from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., Tuesday, June 4 at Carrefour Lingostière, Wednesday, June 5 at Auchan Grasse, and Friday, June 7 at Carrefour TNL in Nice from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., to discuss diabetes and encourage the general public to take the risk test!
Founded in 1938, the French Association of Diabetics, a recognized public utility patient federation, brings together 105 local and regional associations spread across the national territory. With 130,000 members, the AFD works to contribute to improving the quality of life for all people affected by or at risk of diabetes. For more information: www.afd.asso.fr.
In 2011, 17.5 billion euros were spent in France on the treatment of people with diabetes. When it is treated too late, the disease leads to serious complications: the leading cause of blindness before 65, the leading cause of amputations (excluding accidents), the second leading cause of cardiovascular incidents. 400 new cases are diagnosed every day. If nothing is done in the next 10 to 15 years, 1 in 10 French people will be affected. However, a balanced diet and regular physical activity can delay the onset of diabetes and slow its progression. Thus, only prevention, combined with early management and appropriate follow-up, will combat this silent epidemic that is diabetes.
