November 14 2004 marks the fifteenth annual World Diabetes Day. Diabetes is a chronic condition that affects people of all ages in all areas of the world. Inadequate care can lead to serious health complications such as blindness, kidney failure, neuropathy (degeneration of nerves and nervous system), amputation, heart attacks and death.

This date was designated World Diabetes Day as it was the birthday of Frederick Banting who, in collaboration with Charles Best, discovered insulin in October 1921.

The theme for World Diabetes Day this year is: Obesity

IIF’s statement for World Diabetes Day 2004

The official theme of World Diabetes Day 2004 is obesity. Obesity and its health impacts, one of which is Type 2 diabetes, is extremely worrying. The increase in the number of children developing a disease that was once referred to as “adult onset diabetes” should be addressed vigourously at national and international levels.

The IIF would like for people to reflect on this day that in developed countries, a new public health challenge is presenting itself in the form of children developing Type 2 diabetes. However, in developing countries an “old” health problem is still causing unnecessary suffering and death to thousands of people.

IIF Press Release for World Diabetes Day 2004 (in pdf format)

Visit the International Diabetes Foundation’s (IDF) website: www.idf.org