The project seeks to promote healthy lifestyle among people with diabetes and people at risk of diabetes.
Expected impact
26 lead diabetes educators trained
78 diabetes educators trained
5,070 people with or at risk of diabetes will benefit
Project details
With two out of every three Mexicans being overweight or obese, the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases is immense among the population in Mexico.
The incidence of diabetes increased with 28% between 2001 and 2007 where it reached 375 per 100,000 inhabitants per year. In addition, it is estimated that 13.8% of all deaths in Mexico are due to diabetes.
If the current situation is not halted the problem is likely to escalate. Hence, a targeted effort to reduce the incidence of obesity and promote healthy lifestyles is sorely needed.
Approach
This project is headed by Federación Mexicana de Diabetes in close collaboration with 13 local diabetes associations. The project will receive technical support and co funding from ALAD (Asociación Latinoamericana de Diabetes) and the Federal Ministry of Health, in addition to co-funding from Roche-Syntex. The project will be implemented in the 13 cities where the diabetes associations reside.
The rising incidence rate of diabetes is caused by unhealthy lifestyles including bad eating habits and limited physical exercise as a consequence of lack of awareness and information. Many people simply do not have knowledge about diabetes, its causes, how it can be prevented and the complications such as diabetic neuropathy that may arise when one develops the disease.
The plan is to develop and implement an intensive training programme to train diabetes educators to provide skills to people with diabetes and those at risk of developing it, so that they acquire the knowledge to develop the necessary attitude and behaviour enabling them to have a healthy lifestyle and prevent the onset of diabetes or develop diabetes related complications.
Initially, the Federación Mexicana de Diabetes will train 26 lead diabetes educators equivalent to two lead educators per diabetes association. The lead educators will be trained during an intensive 3-day training course. Miscellaneous training materials will be developed for the course.
The 26 lead educators will subsequently return to their hometowns where they each will commence the training of at least 3 diabetes educators. Hence, a total of 78 diabetes educators will be trained by the lead educators.
The newly trained diabetes educators will then, together with the lead educators, conduct workshops for people with diabetes and people at risk of diabetes. The participants will be summoned via the media, health centres and health fairs for instance at shopping centres. A total of 338 workshops with participation of at least 5,070 people with diabetes or people at risk will be carried out. Each workshop will have a duration of 6 days and will centre on the benefits of healthy lifestyles, how to adopt healthy eating habits and other steps that the individual must take in order to prevent diabetes or its complications.
