Abu Dhabi: For a decade, the annual diabetes walkathon organised by the Imperial College London Diabetes Centre (ICLDC) has drawn thousands of participants from across Abu Dhabi.

Ahead of its tenth edition on November 11, a top doctor at the diabetes treatment and management facility said she hoped the objectives of the walk would soon be translated into policy.

“Over the last decade, we have created a dialogue in the community about tackling diabetes. People would not talk about the condition before. Now, they are thinking of taking action to prevent it,” said Dr Farhana Bin Lootah, internal medicine specialist at the ICLDC.

“We have got the community moving and I hope that this walk and its goals of promoting a healthy lifestyle will soon become policy,” she added.

Dr Bin Lootah was speaking ahead of the walk, which took place at the Yas Marina Circuit. It was attended by more than 20,000 participants sporting white-and-blue T-shirts and united in their hope of combating the lifestyle disease. In addition to traversing the five-kilometre circuit, many undertook tests to determine their risk of turning diabetic, and also listened to health-care experts and community workers about how to stay healthy.

About 19 per cent of the UAE’s adult population between 20 and 79 years of ages is known to be suffering from diabetes, according to statistics revealed by the International Diabetes Federation.

“Despite the increased awareness about the disease, many people today are still unaware that they are diabetic. So we want to encourage greater vigilance among people about their health, because early detection about looming diabetes risk could help a patient avoid suffering from the disease,” Dr Bin Lootah said.

She advised brisk walking as an effective safeguard against diabetes in the majority of cases.

“Walk for half an hour five days a week at a pace that you would adopt if you were late for work,” she said.

A slew of family activities also engaged residents who attended the walkathon.

Rasha Fouad, a 32-year-old pharmacy manager from Egypt, was participating with her husband and six-year-old son.

“We have attended once before and really enjoy the energy here. It is also always fun to do something as a family and it gets people talking about diabetes and its risks,” she said.