DRWF attended this year's Mela Festival of South Asian Arts, in Southampton, Hampshire on Saturday 17th July to help raise awareness to diabetes.
This year was the eighth Southampton Mela Festival hosted by Art Asia. DRWF were situated in the Health Zone, for which the charity was the major sponsor.
During the day DRWF spoke to hundreds of people about the charity and diabetes and handed out around three hundred diabetes information packs.
DRWF also handed out three hundred bottles of water and three hundred apples and oranges during the day to promote healthy eating. The charity would like to thank Waitrose, Havant and Stoke Fruit Farm, Hayling Island, for their support.
Lloyds Pharmacy performed health assessments and diabetes screening during the day and reported that 65 people were screened in total.
People were measured for height, weight and BMI and then given a lifestyle assessment, blood pressure check, and a finger prick blood glucose test if they were deemed to be at risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Of those 65 screened, 30 were identified from the assessment as being at risk from type 2 diabetes and were given the finger prick blood glucose test.
Thirteen people had a blood glucose level of under 6 mmol/l and were advised to get a retest in 3 years and given health lifestyle advice to take away with them.
Sixteen people were referred for a fasting test with a result between 6.1mmol/l and 12.1mmol/l and one person was referred straight to their GP with a reading of 14.8mmol/l.
As part of the charity's awareness raising activities, it is important to reach the estimated half a million individuals who may have diabetes but don't know it. Those of south asian descent are also five times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes.