Regina health fair teaches healthy eating, diabetes prevention

The Canadian Diabetes Association teamed up with a number of community groups to put on the ninth annual North Central health fair and free barbecue today at Regina's Rainbow Youth Centre.

Several booths were set up on the grass outside the Rainbow Youth Centre. Groups like the Diabetes Association, Regina Qu'Appelle Health Region, and Aboriginal Health Home Care were fielding questions from residents at risk of diabetes or other health concerns.

Almost one in ten people in Saskatchewan have diabetes and even more than that have pre-diabetes symptoms, according to the Diabetes Association. Many more are living with the disease but don't know it.

To combat that, the Diabetes Association has a risk assessment test at their booth on Wednesday. It measures factors like diet, exercise, ethnicity, and whether the disease runs in one's family, and gives out a score of low, moderate, or high risk of diabetes.

"We want to make sure people know what their risk factors are," said Brie Hnetka, Saskatchewan's regional director for the Canadian Diabetes Association. "If they're at high risk, they're going to get checked every year. And if they do have diabetes that it's caught early."

By 2020, the group estimates more than 111,000 people will have diabetes in Saskatchewan.

"Prevention is what we're really trying to work on. People need to change what they're eating and get the right kind of exercise," said Hnetka. "Unfortunately, heredity has a lot to do with diabetes."

If someone scores high on the risk-assessment test, the Diabetes Association can help them connect with health care professionals in their community.

To go along with the theme of healthy eating, there was a free barbecue at the event. Instead of the standard fare of hot dogs and burgers, healthy options like lean-beef burgers and fruits and vegetables were served.

More than 100 people braved the rainy weather to attend the health fair.