Organisations pressure EU to take action on diabetes

Tue, 20 Jul 2010
The International Diabetes Federation (Europe), a coalition of organisations representing people with chronic conditions throughout Europe, which includes Diabetes UK amongst its members, is urging the European Union to introduce new measures that address the growing problems associated with a bad diet, lack of exercise, overuse of alcohol and smoking. The coalition, called the Chronic Disease Alliance, is trying to improve the health of people across Europe, especially those with diabetes and other chronic conditions.

It represents healthcare professionals and people with conditions such as diabetes, liver disease, cancer, heart disease, respiratory disease and kidney disease, which account for 86 per cent of deaths across the continent, according to figures released by the World Health Organisation .

With more than 30 million people with diabetes in the EU, the alliance is focusing on issues around nutrition, physical activity, smoking and alcohol in a bid to educate the EU and its inhabitants about ways to prevent the onset of chronic conditions.

It has released a report called "'A Unified Prevention Approach", which details approaches of improving the lives of those with chronic diseases. As well as the human costs of these health issues, the report emphasises the large, and rising, financial burden that chronic conditions place on healthcare budgets.

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