This Tuesday, World Diabetes Day is celebrated, which was established in 1991 with the aim of raising awareness of society.

Every year the number of people who have diabetes in Aragon grows, a trend that, as experts have assured, will not stop.

In fact, the Zaragoza Diabetics Association quantifies in more than 120,000 people suffering from this disease in the community and foresee that in 2030, that is, within 13 years, this figure can exceed 220,000.

This will mean 17% of the population of Aragon.However, its prevalence is not the same throughout the territory and, as detailed.

This project offers updated information on the percentage of diabetic patients attended in Aragonese health centers.In this way, you can see what are the outpatients or offices that serve more diabetic people and, therefore, in which neighborhoods there is a greater prevalence of this chronic disease.In Zaragoza, the Puerta del Carmen area is the one that records a higher percentage of people over 40 years old with diabetes.Specifically, this figure reaches 14.24%of the total served in 2016. behind are other places such as the west zone of Actur (13.31%), Miralbueno-Garapinillos (12.91%), Valdefierro (12, 81%), Zalfonada (12.8%) and Avenida de Cataluña (12.53%).

On the opposite side are some health centers from Las Fuentes and San José.Specifically, the northern sources is the ambulatory in which a lower percentage of people with diabetes is attended, only 7.79%.On the contrary, in Torreramona (which belongs to the same neighborhood), the diabetics suppose up to 11.72% of those served.

"The differences are due to two fundamental issues: the average age of the residents and their socioeconomic level," says José Antonio Sanz, medical advisor to the Zaragoza Diabetics Association.In the most aged population there are more cases of diabetes."The socio-economic level is important since it affects the food that families can be allowed," he emphasizes.

To all this, we will have to add the sport made by residents and the type of employment they have (if this is more sedentary or with greater movement)."All this influences that people have a greater or lesser risk of diabetes," he recalls.In fact, other areas with less diabetic population are: San José Norte (7.96%), Fernando the Catholic (8.21%), Oliver (8.48%) and Hernán Cortés with Parque Roma (8.9%).

In Huesca there are also some differences between the main health centers.According to this report, in the neighborhood of Perpetual Socorro, only 7.1% of those attended suffer diabetes;While in ambulatory of the Holy Grail, this figure amounts to 9.87%.In the areas of the Pyrenees Center (12.69%) and in Rural Huesca (12.75%) the maximums registered in the Oscense capital are reached.On the other hand, in Teruel there are hardly any variations and the prevalence of the disease is 11%;"Within the Spanish average."

This report also aims to indicate what are the improvements that can be applied in public health.One of the aspects to improve in Aragon is the control of patients with diabetes.Heraldo de Aragón recalled last week that the follow -up, the intensity of the treatment or even the chosen drug are not equal in all health centers.However, the regional government is already taking measures in this regard.

Study in families

The European study Feel4Diabetes focuses onIdentify families with high risk of type II diabetes."Since last year, in Zaragoza, we have contacted 1,200 people through the educational centers (between parents and children), which we have divided into two groups: control and intervention," explains Luis Moreno, professor and main researcherof the Genud Group of the University of Zaragoza.Of all of them, about a third were within the risk group to suffer diabetes.

"To analyze it, we made a ten sections questionnaire, in which they were asked about the consumption of fruit and vegetables and their body measures, among other issues," he says.Subsequently, depending on the score that is obtained, they are referred to a research group of the Miguel Servet Hospital.Also, contact with families through telephone messages is maintained."In these talks and in schools we try to encourage physical activity, fruit consumption, vegetables (especially in lunch and snack) and water," he emphasizes.

A diabetes race

For the second consecutive year, the ‘race and walk will be carried out. Activate for diabetes, Zaragoza!’.This event, organized by the Diabetes Foundation and the Zaragoza Diabetics Association, will be held on Sunday, November 26 at the Water Park and hopes to congregate some 3,000 participants.The appointment will serve the commemorative activities carried out around the World Diabetes Day, which is scheduled for this Tuesday, November 14, and whose motto this year is ‘Woman and Diabetes’.

- Go to the health supplement.