More than half of Dutch adults do not exercise enough, according to guidelines used by the GGD and municipalities. Many people who do not exercise find it difficult to exercise more independently and maintain it. The National Diabetes Challenge was developed by the Bas van de Goor Foundation to encourage people with diabetes or at increased risk of diabetes to exercise.
Bas van de Goor speaks: “This year is extra special. We organize NDC for tenH time. Where we started out by getting 20 people moving together with healthcare providers, over the past year we've moved more than 50,000 people through collaboration across areas in the neighborhood. NDC really helps people take steps towards health. This year we also expanded our target group from focusing only on people with diabetes, to also focusing on people at high risk such as: older people, people with obesity, people with cardiovascular diseases and people with a migration background.
Joint organization
For 20 weeks, professionals will walk through several places in the Netherlands with a group of participants once a week to work together on a healthier lifestyle and sustainable behavioral change. A walking group can be started by any exercise, sport, social care and healthcare professional. It is known from practice that it is ideal for these disciplines to work together, each with its own role. Carers then actively refer people to NDC walking groups which organize neighborhood sports coaches, walking coaches or social care workers. They guide the marches. The NDCs are therefore in line with the ambitions for cross-domain collaboration of the Active Healthy Living Agreement (GALA) and the Integrated Care Agreement (IZA). The Bas van de Goor Foundation supports the walking group with materials, networking appointments and training. You can now record walking groups. The group walk will begin at the end of April 2024. Until then, the site will have enough time to prepare everything and recruit participants. The National Diabetes Challenge will conclude on September 28 with a celebratory festival at the Open Air Museum in Arnhem. This is where all walkers from all over the country come together to cover the distance they have trained.
Exercise is important, especially for people with diabetes (who are at increased risk of infection).
NDC was developed to lower the threshold for more exercise and to address the growing problem of inactive people and the growing numbers of people with diabetes. Those who exercise too little and sit too much are more likely to develop diabetes, among other things. There are now more than 1.2 million Dutch people with diabetes. In addition, an estimated 1.1 million Dutch people and several million others are at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Research shows that adequate exercise helps prevent type 2 diabetes. Walking can always be done at different levels, which It makes it a good way for everyone to start exercising.
Successful exercise intervention
In recent years, it has become clear how successful this exercise intervention is for people who need guidance to start exercising more. The NDC is back in 2023 Increases its effect There has been significant growth in the number of participants and locations. With all local organizers in nearly 300 locations across the Netherlands, nearly 4,800 people were mobilized in an accessible way. Up to 94% continue to exercise after NDC. In recent years, more than 15,000 people have taken a step towards exercising more this way.
The program provides information and is also a social activity where pedestrians get to know each other. In addition to new connections between local people, the National Diabetes Challenge also creates connections between participants and professionals and among the professionals themselves. The challenge thus leads to physical fitness among pedestrians and improved cooperation among professionals.
The Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport, Novo Nordisk and Menzis are regular partners in the National Diabetes Challenge.
more information?
More information can be found at www.nationalediabeteschallenge.nl Or participate in one of the (online) informational meetings held in January and February about starting your own walking group.
source: National Diabetes Challenge
Bas van de Goor Foundation, GALA, IZA, National Diabetes Challenge, NDC, WALK
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