BRIDGES

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Brussels/Hanoi, May 15, 2008 - The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) BRIDGES translational research grant program will fund a pilot study in Vietnam to increase opportunities for screenings for people at high-risk for getting type 2 diabetes and promote a program designed to motivate people to develop a healthy lifestyle.

The National Hospital of Endocrinology (NHOE) will launch the study in Vinh City, Vietnam. Using diabetes risks questionnaires , the investigators hope to identify people aged 30 to 64 who are at high risk for pre-diabetes and diabetes. The screenings will be coupled with community awareness and healthy living programs.

According to the International Diabetes Federation’s Diabetes Atlas, roughly 1.3 million people in Vietnam have diabetes while another 1.1 million are at high risk for developing type 2 diabetes. Within 20 years, the numbers will rise dramatically. By then, it is expected that 2.5 million Vietnamese will have diabetes with another 1.9 million at increased risk for getting the disease.

People found to be at risk for diabetes will be taught to modify their lifestyles – eating, exercise, and regular check-ups – during three months of educational sessions. The study plans to evaluate all the factors and prove that it is an effective way to prevent diabetes in urban areas in Vietnam.

“Healthy lifestyle has been proven to the most efficacious measure to prevent type 2 diabetes. It is crucial that healthy lifestyle is adopted by people at risk of the disease which is increasing on an epidemic scale globally, particularly in developing countries like Vietnam,” said Prof. Ta Van Binh, Director of the National Hospital of Endocrinology, National Institute of Diabetes and Metabolic Control.

Binh added, “this project is the best opportunity for our institution to raise awareness of diabetes prevention and convince our community that type 2 diabetes can be prevented by healthy lifestyle.”

The International Diabetes Federation, through BRIDGES, is committed to converting research findings into useful practices for the provision of quality care and services delivered by healthcare providers. The diabetes screening and prevention program in Vietnam, along with the 10 other selected translational research projects, was chosen because of its innovation, demonstration of the potential for health care cost savings, sustainability plans and the opportunity for its results to be widely replicated in other settings.

“With over 250 million people around the world with diabetes, the disease is now a global epidemic. The National Hospital of Endocrinology’s study to screen, diagnose and educate people is an important step in the fight against diabetes in Vietnam,” said Dr. Linda Siminerio, Chair of the IDF BRIDGES Review Committee. “This epidemic can be reversed if we all act now.”

The International Diabetes Federation independently manages the BRIDGES program with an educational grant from Eli Lilly and Company and is committed to promoting diabetes care, prevention and a cure worldwide.

**ENDS**

Contacts:

• International Diabetes Federation, Kerrita McClaughlyn, Media Relations Manager, Email: media@idf.org Tel: +32-2-5431639; Mobile: +32 487 530 625.
• National Hospital of Endocrinology, Dr. Ta Van Binh, Director, Tel: +84 4 8533527 ext 207