‘Nanny state’ NHS diabetes health advice campaign will target men over 40 with Facebook adverts

• Men aged 40 and over to be target of diabetes awareness campaign by the NHS
• Social media drive to advise on best ways to avoid developing type 2 diabetes
• Follows campaign last year targeting black and South Asian communities

Men aged 40 and over will be the focus of a new NHS diabetes campaign.

The social media drive will offer advice on how to develop habits to help avoid type 2 diabetes.

Targeted adverts on Facebook will highlight the increased diabetes risk among white men of this age group and encourage them to sign up to a behavioural programme aimed at helping people lead healthier lives.

It follows a successful campaign last year which targeted black and South Asian communities who are more at risk of type 2 diabetes from the age of 25.

Recent studies have shown that people are twice as likely to die from Covid-19 if they have type 2 diabetes.

Men aged 40 and over will be the focus of a new NHS diabetes campaign. The social media drive will offer advice on how to develop habits to help avoid type 2 diabetes (stock image)

Public health minister Jo Churchill said: ‘This initiative between the NHS and Diabetes UK is designed to support people, particularly 40-year-old men, on how to avoid type 2 diabetes.

‘Now is a great time to check your risk and do something about it.

‘The Government has recently announced £100 million to support people achieve and maintain a healthier weight, and this is another initiative to help.

‘By working together we can achieve our healthy weight strategy goals and halve the number of children living with obesity by 2030, protecting people and the NHS for a brighter future.’

Targeted adverts on Facebook will highlight the increased diabetes risk among white men of this age group and encourage them to sign up to a behavioural programme aimed at helping people lead healthier lives (stock image)

The NHS says the programme has already helped hundreds of thousands of people and there are now 200,000 places available every year thanks to the NHS Long Term Plan. 

Professor Jonathan Valabhji, national clinical director for diabetes and obesity for the NHS in England, said: ‘The evidence is clear – obesity and Type 2 diabetes significantly increase the risk that many of us face from Covid.

‘And we already knew that for men over 40 in particular, the risk of Type 2 diabetes steadily increases with age so it is crucial people in this group check their risk and get the right support.

‘As we start to see signs of normal life returning, there has never been a better time to start living a healthier lifestyle and we want to support even more people to do this.’

Source: Read Full Article