Message from Tony Clement, Minister of Health
Diabetes Awareness Month and World Diabetes Day 2006

November is Diabetes Awareness Month and November 14 marks World Diabetes Day. Diabetes is a serious issue for Canadians. Consider the following facts:

• Approximately 1.8 million Canadians live with diabetes – and one in three of those is unaware that he or she has the disease.
• Approximately 200,000 Canadians have type 1 diabetes and require daily insulin injections.
• Diabetes affects all ages. The proportion of Canadians with type 2 diabetes increased by 27 per cent between 1994 and 2000. As our population gets older and as obesity rates rise, this trend is expected to continue.
• Aboriginal people are three to five times more likely to have type 2 diabetes than the Canadian population.

This year's focus is to raise awareness of communities and groups in both developed and developing countries that experience difficulties in accessing optimal health care. The theme for World Diabetes Day 2006 is “Diabetes care for everyone.” World Diabetes Day was established by the International Diabetes Federation and the World Health Organization to raise awareness of diabetes throughout the world.

Canada's new government is contributing to the effort to prevent diabetes and improve treatment options and access:

• Through the Canadian Diabetes Strategy, we have set the foundation for moving forward. By working with the provinces, territories, and groups like the Canadian Diabetes Association, we support surveillance, research, community-based programming and national coordination in the areas of diabetes prevention and control.



• Through the investment of $190 million over five years to strengthen and enhance the Aboriginal Diabetes Initiative, we are working to reduce the prevalence of diabetes among Aboriginal people. This initiative supports health promotion and prevention activities, improved screening and care services, the training of health service providers, and research and surveillance activities.



• Research plays a key role in preventing diabetes. In 2005-2006, through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, $6.6 million was committed for type 1 diabetes research, $11.4 million for type 2 diabetes research, and $12.8 million for general research on diabetes and its complications.

We can all help to prevent the onset of diabetes by exercising, maintaining a healthy weight, and eating healthier foods.

For more information on diabetes, talk to your health care provider or, you can visit the the Public Health Agency of Canada's Web site or It's Your Health

Tony Clement
Minister of Health
Government of Canada