According to the Luxembourg Diabetes Association (ALD), diabetes has the potential to push global health services to their limits, despite easy precautionary lifestyle adjustments such as healthier food choices and daily walks.
Danièle Rasqué is a founding member of the ALD and was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes sixty years ago. 30,000 people in Luxembourg receive treatment for diabetes, of which 90% are diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes.
Rasqué explained she was diagnosed at the age of twelve, and had to come to grips with injections as a child, as well as adapting her diet to manage her condition. These days, she organises 5-kilometre walks to raise awareness and to encourage people to hit 10,000 steps.
Treatments for diabetes have progressed since Rasqué was first diagnosed, and she praises the fact that insulin can be adjusted to allow for different lifestyles now.
Globally, there are around 460 million people suffering from diabetes. Although the illness is often associated with being overweight, poor nutrition and a lack of exercise, around 10% of patients suffer from Type 1 diabetes, an autoimmune disease. ALD president Dr Roger Wirion explains a number of risks are associated with Type 2, including the risk of strokes or heart disease, while Type 1 patients could risk microvascular complications, which could affect the eyes, kidneys or nerves.
Despite the progress made in terms of treatment for the disease, experts warn that poor nutrition and lack of movement could lead to a “wave” of diabetes. Dr Wirion recommends encouraging exercise and sport from an early age, as well as advising parents to focus on healthy food choices for their children.
Video report in Luxembourgish:
