Blogging Marathon for World Diabetes Day

(PRWEB) November 14, 2006 -- World Diabetes Day is a day to bring Diabetes into the spotlight, to build awareness amongst those at risk, to educate sufferers about better management strategies, to raise awareness in the wider community and to work towards a cure.

That's why the Official Diabetes Blog is spreading the World Diabetes Day message, through a marathon blogging effort.

As part of the awareness campaign the Official Diabetes Blog Team will make a new blog post every hour, on the hour, for the full 24 hours of World Diabetes Day.

The Official Diabetes Blog marathon will involve contributions from many well known individuals and respected organizations in the Diabetes community who have all rallied behind the World Diabetes Day cause.

Highlights of these blog contributions will include posts by Diabetes Australia (Victoria), the release of an Exclusive Audio Interview with Dr Adam Fraser (expert in diabetes management through diet and lifestyle) and posts by Official Diabetes Blog founder Stephanie Jakobi.

Contributions are also invited from the wider diabetes community, with the Official Diabetes Blog inviting diabetics to share posts of information and support on the forums and in blog comments.

Diabetes sufferers are also invited to have their questions answered, and make suggestions on topics they would like to see addressed in articles contributed by The Official Diabetes Blog team and its panel of experts.

"The internet is a powerful tool for spreading information globally," says Stephanie Jakobi of the Official Diabetes Blog, "And by using the internet, we can spread diabetes awareness to millions of people worldwide instantly."

Diabetes is a chronic disease which is affecting more and more people worldwide each year. Right now, people's diets and other lifestyle factors, combined with natural genetic factors, are resulting in a global Diabetes epidemic.

According to figures from the International Diabetes Foundation, 194 million people are afflicted with diabetes, with this figure set to rise to 333 million people by 2025 if current trends continue.

In Australia alone it is estimated that more than 3 million Australians have diabetes or pre-diabetes.

In the United States, an estimated 17 million people live with diabetes and complications from the disease are the fifth leading cause of death in America. Currently, more than $1 of every $10 spent on healthcare going towards diabetes.

However, it's not just Western Countries who are feeling the affects of a Diabetes epidemic. According to a recent South Korean study, diabetes has now reached epidemic proportions in Asia. This study suggests diabetes is afflicting people at a younger age in Asian countries than in the West, and stands to potentially overwhelm healthcare systems in Asia.

For those advocating the need for better education about the symptoms and treatment of diabetes, World Diabetes Day is an important boon.

"The time to act is now. World Diabetes Day shines the spotlight on our cause, but it's up to every one of us to use this opportunity. We have a real opportunity to impact the quality of lives of millions of people worldwide."

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