Key messages

By taking part in the Global Diabetes Walk, everyone has the opportunity to raise awareness about the need for worldwide action for the many disadvantaged and vulnerable population groups with diabetes. At the same time it directs attention to a low-cost physical activity so essential for health which can help prevent type 2 diabetes as well as many other non communicable diseases.

Each key message contains hands-on information that you can easily adopt to awareness activities: 

1. Know the diabetes risks and know the warning signs
2. Know how to respond to diabetes and who to turn to
3. Know how to manage diabetes and take control

Overweight on the rise

The WHO’s latest projections indicate that globally in 2005, approximately 1.6 billion adults (age 15+) were overweight and at least 400 million adults were obese. By 2015, WHO projects that approximately 2.3 billion adults will be overweight and more than 700 million will be obese.
At least 20 million children under the age of 5 years were overweight globally in 2005.

Once considered a problem only in high-income countries, overweight and obesity are now dramatically on the rise in low- and middle-income countries, particularly in urban settings.

30 minutes of walking five days a week is enough to change unhealthy trends and prevent diabetes.