Scotland is tackling the rise in type 2 diabetes by launching a nationwide education drive.
The country’s 250,000 type 2 diabetes population as well as parents, carers and those at high risk of the condition are being encouraged to complete a free online course, which runs for two weeks, having started on September 19.
It has been developed by Dundee University in partnership with Diabetes UK, Diabetes Scotland (part of Diabetes UK) and Diabetes My Way, the national website for people with the condition.
Titled ‘The Diabetes Epidemic: A Patient-Centred Approach’, the course promises to help people understand why type 2 diabetes is rising and covers how to prevent and treat the condition.
Dundee University lecturer Dr Debbie Wake, who is also a consultant diabetologist, led the development of the course.
She said: “The course can also help people with prediabetes, on the cusp, who have risk factors. We talk about the growing epidemic of diabetes which is partly due to lifestyle and weight problems, and look at how we can reverse that trend.
“We already run a lot of post-graduate courses. In the Middle East there are big diabetes problems so we go out to there three times a year and teach healthcare professionals about diabetes. On the back of that we have developed this course.”
Despite being aimed at people in Scotland, anyone is welcome to take part and so far people sign up from Australia and Canada have registered.
The course includes accessible material emphasising the human element and self-care aspects of living with this chronic condition.
It facilitates learning through interactive media and peer discussion to enhance knowledge about how diabetes develops, potential treatments, associated disease complications, global challenges, quality care and self-management practices.
Linda McGlyn, the healthcare professional engagement manager at Diabetes Scotland, said: “Over 250,000 people in Scotland are living with type 2 diabetes and around one million people are at increased risk of developing the condition.
“A focus of the course, which we have been involved i, is around person-centred care. Diabetes is complex and can affect people in different ways which is why it’s important that healthcare professionals treat the person as an individual. If care is truly person-centred then how it is delivered will be different dependent on the needs, circumstances and preferences of the individual receiving the care.”
To take part, sign up at Future Learn.
Editor’s Note: After six months of being a member of the Low Carb Program, people with prediabetes, on average, achieve weight loss of 5kg, lose three inches around their waist and increase the amount of physical acitivity they do by 33 minutes.

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