Diabetes
Diabetes
John Bowis co-chairs the European Parliament’s Diabetes Working Group which works with the International Diabetes Federation to raise awareness of diabetes amongst European decision-makers and to press for action.
John Bowis has supported World Diabetes Day (14th November) in the European Parliament. In 2002 he hosted an exhibition in Strasbourg with diabetes susceptibility testing. In 2003 he hosted an EU diabetes awareness week in Brussels – including the possibility for MEPs and staff to have their blood glucose level, blood pressure and cholesterol checked. In total, more than 1,200 tests were done.
Working Group meeting John Bowis along side Mary Banotti MEP, Co-Chairman of the European Parliament's Diabetes Working Group, with Dr.Wim Wientjens,, President of International Diabetes Federation - Europe.
Background information about diabetes
Diabetes is an illness which occurs as a result of problems with the production and supply of insulin in the body. In order for our muscles and other tissues to absorb glucose from our blood, we need a hormone called insulin. Insulin is made in the pancreas. When a person has diabetes, either their pancreas does not produce the insulin they need, or their body cannot use its own insulin effectively. As a result, people with diabetes cannot use enough of the glucose in the food they eat. This leads to the amount of glucose in the blood increasing. This high level of glucose or “high blood sugar” can lead to medical complications.
John has his blood pressure tested.
The International Diabetes Federation estimates that at least 194 million people in the world have diabetes. That is more than the populations of Argentina, Australia, South Africa, Saudi Arabia and Spain all put together.
According to WHO figures, by 2025 there will be more people with diabetes in the world than the entire population of the United States.
