People encouraged to join the 2kg Challenge for National Diabetes Week
July 03, 2024
Western Sydney residents will have access to exclusive health events and educational resources by taking part in the 2kg Challenge, a diabetes awareness, detection and prevention initiative launched by Western Sydney Diabetes (WSD) and its partners as part of National Diabetes Week 2024 (July 14-21).
The 2kg Challenge 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. Western Sydney Diabetes Director, Professor Glen 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,” Prof Maberly said.
“Diabetes can often be prevented if you act early, through increasing your physical activity, eating a healthy diet and losing weight.
“However, if you do develop diabetes you need to make sure you are getting regular blood tests and working with your GP to ensure you are using the appropriate medications and keeping your blood sugars under control.”
The 2kg Challenge is part of an initiative by the Western Sydney Changing Diabetes collaboration which was launched in 2022 between Western Sydney Diabetes, Workers Lifestyle Group and pharmaceutical group Novo Nordisk.
The Western Sydney Primary Health Network, WentWest, is also supporting this year’s 2kg Challenge and Director of Primary Care & Transformation, Jane Assange, said the network will launch the campaign across its general practices in the Blacktown area.
“By encouraging small, manageable lifestyle changes, we can make a significant impact on diabetes prevention in our community,” Ms Assange said.
“This challenge not only raises awareness but also provides essential resources and support to help individuals make lasting, healthy lifestyle changes.
“Together, we can make a significant difference in diabetes prevention and the overall wellbeing of western Sydney.”
Workers Lifestyle Group Chief Executive Officer, Morgan Stewart said his team is committed to the 2kg Challenge, with the group launching the initiative to its staff and members in the Workers Blacktown Club.
“As Western Sydney Diabetes has shown us, so much can be done to manage Type 2 diabetes by early detection and simple lifestyle changes,” Mr Stewart said.
During National Diabetes Week, Western Sydney Diabetes will run various activities for the community on prevention and early detection.
Events include:
Tuesday, July 16:
- Diabetes detection and prevention promotion in the Blacktown Hospital foyer
- Free Tai Chi and Gentle Exercise classes at Workers Blacktown Club
Wednesday, July 17:
- Diabetes detection and educational stall at Workers Blacktown Club
- Free line dancing and salsa lessons
- Nutritional talk by a WSD dietitian at 1:30 pm
Workers Blacktown Club patrons can also access free self-service health checks using SiSU health stations which are permanently located at the Club. And the community can also access free health coaching to support their 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.
Western Sydney Diabetes 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