Get tested for diabetes this World Diabetes Day
It’s World Diabetes Day 2025 on November 14 and Western Sydney Diabetes (WSD) is encouraging adults in Western Sydney to go to their General Practitioner to get a blood sugar (HbA1c) test and if they have pre-diabetes or diabetes, to join the 2kg Challenge health initiative.
Diabetes is a condition where there is too much glucose in the blood. The body can’t make insulin, enough insulin or is not effectively using the insulin it does make. Over time high glucose levels can damage blood vessels and nerves, resulting in long term health complications including heart, kidney, eye and foot damage.
NSW Health estimates that diabetes rates in western Sydney are 13 per cent in adults and have been rising for over a decade.
“Once you know you have diabetes you need to make sure you are getting regular HbA1c tests and working with your GP to ensure you are using the most up to date medications and keeping your blood sugars under control,” WSD Director Prof Glen Maberly said.
“But early detection is key; you can prevent diabetes if you act early, simply through increased physical activity, a healthy diet and losing weight.”
To support this, the Western Sydney Changing Diabetes collaboration designed the 2kg Challenge: a healthy living initiative that encourages people to improve their health through small, manageable lifestyle changes to reduce their risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by up to 30 per cent.
It was launched by WSD and its partners, Novo Nordisk and Workers Lifestyle Group (WLG), in 2022.
Novo Nordisk has sponsored several projects and WLG is providing $500,000 over five years for the initiative to fund projects and activities that will boost diabetes awareness, detection and prevention at a grassroots level.
WLG Acting Chief Executive Officer, Shelley Fletcher said the fight against diabetes “found a champion” in the Club’s ongoing support.
“Club activities, such as line dancing and tai chi are helping our members and guests to become more active, because fitness is one of the best precautions against contracting diabetes,” Ms Fletcher said.
In addition, SiSU health stations located at both Workers Blacktown and Workers Sports clubs, have been used by more 8500 members and visitors from the community to monitor their health status and alert themselves to type 2 diabetes risk.
“The health checks have given timely warnings to almost 3000 people that they have elevated diabetes risk, and they have been referred to their GPs,” she said.
The Western Sydney Primary Health Network, WentWest, has thrown its support behind the 2kg Challenge, launching it in almost 120 GP practices across the region.
“It’s not about big changes overnight – it’s about making simple choices that add up over time,” WentWest CEO Andrew Newton said.
“WentWest is proud to be a part of Western Sydney Diabetes to support this initiative and help our community take action to prevent type 2 diabetes. Every bit counts and together we can make a real difference.”
For Julie Thomas (pictured right), joining the 2kg Challenge was “life-changing”.
Julie was inspired to sign up for the diabetes awareness, detection and prevention initiative after attending a diabetes information session.
“I’ve tried so many weight loss programs but reaching the huge goals just seemed daunting,” Julie said. “Two kilos as a goal seemed achievable and then of course another two kilos.”
She said she valued 2kg Challenge’s suite of reliable “one-stop-shop” of information about health and diet, but found the most valuable information was the local exercise programs available.
She found her passion with aqua aerobics, where she lost weight “easily” and has kept it off.
“Which is a new achievement for me,” she said. “My doctor has given me a big tick on all my essential health markers. The 2kg Challenge has been quite literally life changing.”
Prof Maberly said small, consistent lifestyle changes can help prevent diabetes. “You don’t need to overhaul your life all at once, every bit of exercise and every healthy choice counts, that’s why the 2kg Challenge is about more than weight loss, it is about embracing lifestyle changes that we can sustain every day,” he said.
A core offering of the program is free access to health coaching to support health goals through NSW Health’s Get Healthy Service (gethealthynsw.com.au) – an evidence-based, free, telephone and online health coaching service that helps people make healthy lifestyle changes.
WSD is a collaborative initiative led by the Western Sydney Local Health District and Western Sydney Primary Health Network, in partnership with Diabetes Australia and the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment.
To register for the 2kg Challenge, visit 2kgchallenge.com.au.
For more information on World Diabetes Day 2025 visit worlddiabetesday.org/