This is in response to the growing concerns over an alarming rise of diabetes cases. The purpose of this day is to raise awareness of a condition that millions of people all around the world live with every day.

The three year theme is appropriate in this time since millons of people with diabetes around the world do not have access to diabetes care. People with diabetes require ongoing care and support to manage their condition and avoid complications.

Diabetes is a chronic disease in which the body cannot produce enough insulin to control glucose levels.

There are two kinds of diabetes, Type 1 requires daily administration with injection or pump; while type 2 can be managed by maintaining a good diet and in some people medication can be required.

With the growing number of diabetic cases around the world, medicine, technologies, support and care should be made available to all people with diabetes that require them. There is a need for government to increase investment in diabetes care and prevention.

In the Philippines, one of the target outcome of the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition (PPAN) 2017-2022 is to improved situation in overweight and obesity.

These two indicators are precursor of major non-communicable diseases such as hypertension and diabetes mellitus. Major nutrition specific interventions to address the above include National Nutrition Promotion Program for Behavioral Change and Overweight and Obesity Management and Prevention Program. Both programs promote diet modification and diversification and exercise.

Moreover, the country has also “The Pinggang Pinoy”is a nutrition tool for preparing healthy food on a per meal basis. It is a new and easy-to-understand food guide that uses a familiar food plate model to convey the right food group proportions on a per-meal basis.

This will help Filipinos acquire healthy eating habits needed to attain optimum nutrition and avoid non communicable diseases such as hypertension and diabetes memlitus. This was developed by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-FNRI).

Furthermore, it serves as visual tool to help Filipinos adopt healthy eating habits at meal times by delivering effective dietary and healthy lifestyle messages.

It’s very important that people with diabetes maintain good control of their condition to help reduce and avoid long term complications.
There have been huge advances in this area over recent years. However, it is vitally important that development work continues, to ensure people with the condition can live as normal a life as possible. #NPC-CPD