One in Eight Adults in Antigua and Barbuda Living With Diabetes, Association Says

The Antigua and Barbuda Diabetes Association is urging residents to learn their risk for type 2 diabetes and seek early screening, citing estimates that about one in eight adults in the country is living with diabetes.

The association will mark World Diabetes Day on Saturday, November 14, with an awareness walk at 5:30 p.m. at the Rising Sun Grounds. The walk is part of a month-long programme under the theme “Early Action on Diabetes,” which focuses on early diagnosis, reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes and improving access to care.

The association cited International Diabetes Federation estimates that about 589 million adults worldwide, or one in nine, are living with diabetes. More than 40 per cent of adults with diabetes globally are unaware they have the condition, according to the federation’s figures cited in the release.

Association President Charity Dublin said stories about complications such as blindness, chronic kidney disease, heart failure and amputations can leave people with the impression that those outcomes are inevitable.

“Early diagnosis, timely access to care and sustained healthy lifestyle changes can make a significant difference,” Dublin said. “Taking proactive steps can improve overall health and quality of life.”

The association’s November 13 programme includes Go Blue Day and a diabetes quiz at SDA Primary School. Following Saturday’s walk, a public lecture titled “Changing the Story of Diabetes” will be held on Zoom at 5:30 p.m. on November 18. A Family Fun Day is scheduled for 1 p.m. on November 22 at T.N. Kirnon Primary School, followed by a health fair at 11 a.m. on November 25 at MOS Medical Services on Old Parham Road.

The programme will close with the association’s 40th anniversary gala at 7 p.m. on November 28 in the Presidential Suite at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, marking four decades of diabetes education, advocacy and community outreach.