[Harumanbo Harucheonja] 1 in 6 People Have Diabetes... Manage It by Walking

Diabetes has become a common disease, affecting 1 in 6 adults over the age of 30 (16.7%). Aerobic exercise is the most recommended form of exercise for managing and preventing diabetes. Among these, walking is the easiest exercise method to practice. In fact, the number of steps taken is closely related to the incidence of diabetes. Increasing daily steps by 2,000 reduces the incidence of diabetes by 25% after five years, and increasing up to 10,000 steps reduces it by 76%. Accordingly, campaigns linking walking and diabetes to raise awareness of the disease risk and encourage continuous walking activities are ongoing.

The Dong-A Socio Group, together with the Diabetes Research Foundation, has been conducting the "Beyond Diabetes: Steps of Hope 6.5 km Walking Campaign" since 2021. This campaign was established to help people with diabetes recognize the importance of walking exercise and to motivate them to maintain continuous walking activity. The distance of 6.5 km symbolizes the goal of keeping glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), one of the diagnostic criteria for diabetes, below 6.5%.

This campaign is held over a total of four months, divided into spring (May 1 to June 30) and autumn (September 1 to October 31) sessions, targeting people with diabetes, their families, and the general public. Participants donate their steps collected through the step-donation mobile application WalkOn. The donations will be used by the Diabetes Research Foundation to support vulnerable diabetic patients. Last year, approximately 15.6 billion steps were converted into valuable donations.

Handok has also been holding the "Dangdang Steps" campaign since 2009, which involves step donations and other activities. The event is held annually around World Diabetes Day on November 14 to raise awareness about the importance of diabetes management and the risks of diabetic foot, one of the most serious complications.

Diabetic foot is a common complication experienced by 4 out of 10 diabetic patients, but it is a fatal condition where even a small wound can eventually lead to foot amputation. Diabetic patients have significantly reduced blood circulation, making their feet prone to wounds, and if wounds do not heal well, they can worsen into ulcers. To prevent diabetic foot, it is necessary not only to manage blood sugar regularly but also to frequently check the feet.