Yas Marina walk to help beat diabetes

When the annual diabetes walkathon returns to the Yas Marina Circuit on Friday, organisers hope last year's 10,000 participants will have swelled to 15,000.

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ABU DHABI // When the annual diabetes walkathon returns to the Yas Marina Circuit on Friday, organisers hope last year's 10,000 participants will have swelled to 15,000.

The 5km walk, organised by the capital's Imperial College London Diabetes Centre, is sponsored by the health insurer Daman and supported by Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, the widow of the founding President Sheikh Zayed.

Dr Maha Barakat, the medical and research director and consultant endocrinologist at the diabetes centre, said a brisk half-hour walk every day has been proven to prevent diabetes, which affects one in five in the UAE and 33 million people in the region.

"You can reduce your risk of developing diabetes by up to 58 per cent simply by following a healthy lifestyle with regular physical activity," she said.

Dr Michael Bitzer, Daman's chief executive officer, said the walkathon was invaluable in educating people on healthy lifestyles. "Walk UAE has shown it has the ability to draw public attention to the importance of regular exercise," he said.

The walk around the racetrack will start at 3pm. Participants can find more information on www.diabetesuae.ae.