Diabetes charity sets a new world record

The national charity Diabetes UK has set a new world record for the highest number of waist circumference measurements taken over an eight-hour period to mark Diabetes Week in the UK.
The 556 waists measured by charity staff, started off by singer Lee Latchford-Evans from the group Steps and verified as a record by Guinness officials, was set on Monday on the Southbank in London. The event also coincided with the launch of the Diabetes UK Healthy Lifestyle Roadshow, which is travelling around 50 towns and cities across Britain during the next six months to help raise awareness of risk factors linked with type 2 diabetes and to identify people who are undiagnosed with the condition. People will be given free diabetes risk assessment tests and healthy lifestyle advice.
Barbara Young, the chief executive of Diabetes UK, said “Your waist size is one of the main risk factors associated with Type 2 diabetes. It’s brilliant to be able to set a world record that highlights this – and call ourselves official Guinness World Record holders.”
Latchford-Evans, whose father suffers from type 2 diabetes, also commented “Seeing my dad live with Type 2 diabetes means I understand the importance of early diagnosis, to give people with the condition the best possible chance of a long and healthy life. I urge everyone to have a diabetes risk assessment, whether at one of the roadshows or online, to find out if they are at high risk.”