UK Observes World Diabetes Day Saturday, Nov. 14

of

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Nov. 12, 2015) — Advocates for diabetes care and prevention in Kentucky and around the world will recognize World Diabetes Day (WDD) this Saturday, Nov. 14.  World Diabetes Day is sponsored annually by the International Diabetes Federation, the World Health Organization and Kentucky diabetes advocates to draw attention to issues of paramount importance to the diabetes world.

WDD is part of Diabetes Awareness Month in the United States, a time designated to renew efforts to combat the diabetes epidemic. World Diabetes Day is formally recognized in state law in Kentucky, the only state to have done so.

The University of Kentucky is participating in this recognition by lighting many of its buildings blue on Saturday. Since 2007 more than 1,000 sights and buildings in 84 countries have been bathed in blue lights as part of the World Diabetes Day Blue Monument Challenge.  The celebration has included the Empire State Building, Niagara Falls, the United Nations Building, Rome’s Coliseum, the London Eye, Brandenburg Gate and the Egyptian Pyramids and hundreds more locations around the world.

UK buildings displaying blue lights include Memorial Hall, Taylor Education Building, Gatton Business and Economics Building, and these residence halls: Lyman T. Johnson, Central II, Haggin and Woodland Glen I.

Other confirmed sites going blue in Kentucky this year are the Louisville Water Company’s headquarters building, the Knott County Judicial Center, Hazard City Hall, Hindman City Hall, the Perry County Hall of Justice and the Carl D. Perkins statue in Hindman.  For a complete guide on participating in World Diabetes Day and the Blue Monument Challenge go to www.idf.org/wdd-index.

An estimated one in 10 adult Kentuckians (390,000) are diagnosed with diabetes and another 138,000 may have undiagnosed diabetes.  Another 289,000 people are diagnosed with prediabetes, putting them at a very high risk for developing diabetes.  More than 3,000 Kentucky children are estimated to have diabetes.

In 2011 Kentucky became the first state to mandate a statewide, comprehensive Diabetes Action Plan and the first state to license diabetes educators.  Since then, 18 other states have passed similar legislation modeled on the Kentucky law.

Kentucky ranks 14th in the nation for the incidence in diabetes, an improvement on previous rankings.  Kentucky has dropped to 8th for the incidence of pre-diabetes.

MEDIA CONTACT:  Doug Alexander, 859-221-1032