When Glasgow man Mark McCabe was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) earlier this year, it wasn’t a surprise, but it still left him reeling.
The 49-year-old had been living with pain in his foot for over a year and knew that his lifetime of snacking on sweet treats, fizzy drinks and doing little exercise could catch up with him at some point.
The diagnosis in April, however, was the wakeup call that forced him into action.
Fast-forward seven months and Mark’s transformed his life thanks to NHSGGC’s Type 2 Diabetes Programme – Control IT Plus – available to T2DM patients in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde health board area.
He’s now two stone lighter, lost four inches off his waist, has reduced his blood sugar levels and is sharing his story as part of World Diabetes Day.
Mark, from Dennistoun, said: “I’d never been great with my diet and had a pain in my foot for a year, so it didn’t come as a surprise at all, but at the same time I was still shocked.
“I got referred to Control IT Plus and I got a lot of really good advice. One of the best things about the programme is getting access to dietitians, diabetes specialist nurses and podiatrists. They talked to us about balanced meals, balancing carbohydrates and protein and the footcare advice was especially helpful.
“It was also really accessible for me as someone on the autistic spectrum – it was online, I asked questions, listened, and felt included.”
Mark is one of more than 310,000 people living with T2DM in Scotland, over 72,000 of which are in greater Glasgow and Clyde, a figure which continues to rise annually and is driven by a surge in overweight and obesity across the country in recent years.
However, simple changes to diet and lifestyle can significantly reduce the chances of developing type 2 diabetes or worsening of the condition for those already diagnosed.
Control IT Plus provides people living with T2DM with information and advice to help with the daily self-management of this long-term condition, and Mark encouraged anyone in a similar situation to take up the offer.
Mark said: “My message to others living with type 2 diabetes is to attend Control IT Plus and ask questions if you’re unsure.
“I swapped crisps for nuts and fizzy juice for soda water and I was totally delighted when I started to see changes in my weight. I knew there was some improvement because the pain in my foot was going away, but I can see the weight loss every day now when I’m getting dressed.
“It’s a gradual process, do it at your own pace, but if you’re like me, reduce your sugar intake and you’ll start to look after yourself.”
Geraldine Lucas, Health Improvement Lead for the Type 2 Diabetes Hub at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said: “Diabetes is a serious but manageable condition, and I would urge anyone with type 2 diabetes to take up the offer of Control IT Plus just like Mark did.
“He’s a brilliant example of the improvements you can make with simple changes to your diet and exercise. This can have a positive impact on your health, support better type 2 diabetes control and help you to stay well for longer”
“Support with weight management is also available through our Type 2 Diabetes Hub.”
If you’ve been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, visit NHSGGC’s Type 2 Diabetes Hub online for more information or call 0141 531 8901 (Open Monday to Thursday, from 8.00am – 4.00pm and Friday 8.00am – 3.30pm) or email: ggc.type2diabeteshub@nhs.scot
