NHS targets middle-aged men with online diabetes risk quiz

Middle-aged men in England are to be inspired to take a brief online quiz to check their vulnerability to sort 2 diabetes, as a part of an NHS marketing campaign partly meant to forestall extra Covid deaths.

The “know your risk” quiz, developed by Diabetes UK, asks seven questions on weight, peak and waist dimension to ascertain a physique mass index or BMI. Users are additionally requested whether or not any of their kinfolk have had diabetes. Results are given 4 bands from low to excessive risk.

Those with reasonable or excessive scores might be invited to refer themselves to native well being companies for help in altering their way of life and shedding pounds.

The NHS says it has fast-tracked the marketing campaign after analysis discovered that persons are twice as more likely to die of Covid-19 if they’ve sort 2 diabetes.

It comes after a marketing campaign in August final yr which focused Black and South Asian communities who’re extra at risk of sort 2 diabetes from the age of 25.

Facebook adverts launched on Monday will goal the quiz at thousands and thousands of white men over 40 and spotlight the elevated risk of creating diabetes amongst this group.

Quiz members will even be inspired to join help from the NHS’s Healthier You diabetes prevention programme.

Prof Jonathan Valabhji, NHS England’s nationwide medical director for diabetes and weight problems, stated: “The evidence is clear. Obesity and type 2 diabetes significantly increase the risk that many of us face from Covid.

“And we already knew that for men over 40 in particular, the risk of type 2 diabetes steadily increases with age so it is crucial people in this group check their risk and get the right support.

“As we start to see signs of normal life returning, there has never been a better time to start living a healthier lifestyle and we want to support even more people to do this.”

John Harrison, 53, from Burton Joyce in Nottinghamshire, misplaced 55kg (8st 6lbs) by way of the Healthier You programme. Changes to his food plan included decreasing fats consumption, slicing down on purple meat-based meals and growing the quantity of rooster and pulses. He now additionally does an influence stroll 5 occasions per week.

“I was determined that lockdown wouldn’t stop me from getting healthier,” he stated. “I got great support through video sessions and was able to drop from 127kg in 2019 to 72kg in just 14 months.”

“My quality of life has really improved and these days I can do so much more without feeling exhausted. I can buy and wear fashionable clothes including skinny jeans.”