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Prevention and healthy lifestyles on focus in Turkey for World Diabetes Day

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Published on Wednesday, 26 November 2014 07:00

The Turkish Diabetes Association raised awareness on all fronts during this year’s World Diabetes Day celebrations, from interviews on national radio channels to educational workshops for young children in schools, and including partnerships with supermarket chains.

On 14 November activities kicked off with an interview of Dr. Zeynep Osar Siva, Secretary General of the Turkish Diabetes Assocation, on TRT, the national public broadcaster in Turkey. The association also organised numerous seminars throughout the country including in the association’s own hospital but also in town halls and schools. To aim of these events was to educate the general public, from children to elderly people, about diabetes prevention and healthy diet.

Activities also included a week-long screening campaign in partnership with the Public Health authorities of Istanbul, which was carried out in shopping centres and in universities. In total, around 700 people had their blood glucose tested and received information on diabetes.

The Turkish Diabetes Association further reached out to tens of thousands of people, by producing and distributing educational lealfets on diabetes, explaining the condition, risk factors and how to recognize the symptoms. More than 60,000 copies were distributed to more than 3,500 family doctors and 850 family health centres and hostipals in Istanbul.

Supporting the healthy eating campaign coordinated by the International Diabetes Federation, the association partnered with the supermarket chain Carrefour to release a video showing how to cook healthy meals, which was launched on World Diabetes Day on television and social media.

Turkey also joined the Blue Monument Challenge, as the Bosphorus bridge, a landmark renowned worldwide, was lit blue on 14 November.

For more information, contact Leyli Doganoz at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.