PEEL – One in 10 Peel residents currently lives with Type 2 diabetes, says Peel Public Health, and, if nothing is done to fight some of the risk factors, that number could climb to one in six, or 17 per cent, of the region’s population over the next decade.
As well, Peel has a large population of people of South Asian and Caribbean descent, whom experts believe are more likely to develop diabetes than those from many other countries.
One group trying to shrink the risks is The Stop Diabetes Foundation, founded by Dr. Harpreet Bajaj, which works to educate the community about diabetes and healthy eating. The organization will host its yearly awareness event for June 21 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Mississauga Convention Centre.
The free event will have Dr. Bajaj, along with diabetes specialists, doctors, pharmacists and dieticians, conducting seminars on a number of subjects including diet and health. A free healthy lunch will also be provided.
In addition, Dr. Bajaj will hold a media conference in the afternoon to talk about some new initiatives to fight the rise of diabetes in Peel. They include a social media campaign directed at South Asian youth, an awareness initiative aimed at adults who are stationary at their jobs and have low levels of physical activity, restaurant and Gurdwara campaigns to provide healthy meal and snack options and a women’s preventative health initiative, among others.
Bollywood singer Harshdeep Kaur of Heer fame will attend the event.
More than 500 people are expected to attend and the foundation has arranged for free bus service from locations in Malton and Brampton.
