14 世界糖尿病日 World Diabetes Day

World Diabetes Day (WDD) is celebrated every year on November 14. This is the birthday of Dr. Frederick Banting, one of the discoverers of insulin in 1922. WWD was created in 1991 by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and the WHO (World Health Organization). It became an official U.N. holiday in 2007. Millions of people around the world get together to raise awareness of diabetes. There are many campaigns that draw people’s attention to the growing threat of diabetes. People in over 160 countries participate. A five-year project started in 2009 that has the slogan: “Diabetes Education and Prevention”. The WDD logo is a blue circle. This symbolizes life and health. Blue is also the colour of the sky and the U.N. flag.

Diabetes is a very complicated disease. It is when the body cannot produce or use insulin - a hormone needed to convert sugar into energy necessary for daily life. It affects 250 million people worldwide, throughout their lives. Many sufferers live with diabetes from catching it as children. People with diabetes look after 95% of their own treatment – usually through several injections of insulin a day. Without insulin, people with diabetes would die. The IDF says diabetes is spreading around the world. There are over 300 million people at risk. In many cases, people can avoid diabetes. The disease affects those who are overweight, so eating healthily and exercising are very important.