World Diabetes Day is being observed today. The day is observed by the International Diabetes Federation and the World Health Organization on November 14 in response to the escalating health threat posed by diabetes.

The theme for World Diabetes Day this year, as well as next year, is The Family and Diabetes.

Our correspondent reports that Health Ministry launched the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke for easy and affordable diagnosis and treatment of diabetes and other non-communicable diseases.

Over 425 million people in the world are currently living with diabetes. Most of these cases are type 2 diabetes.

According to a WHO 2015 data, India has over 69.2 million people living with diabetes. Of them, it remained undiagnosed in more than 36 million people.

Diabetes is a leading cause of heart disease, stroke, blindness, kidney failure and lower limb amputation.

80 per cent of cases of Type 2 diabetes is preventable through the adoption of a healthy lifestyle.

A healthy diet, healthy weight, and physical activity are methods to prevent diabetes.