FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:
(Your Name)
(Your Club Name)
(Your Phone Number)
(Your email)
(Your Club Name) Opens Its Doors on World Diabetes Day
to Encourage Exercise for Prevention
(Your City), November xx, 2007—On November 14, (your club name) will open its doors to
the local community to encourage people to get moving in the fight to stop type 2 diabetes.
(November is National Diabetes Month) [for the United States and other countries where
appropriate] and November 14 marks the first annual United Nations-observed World
Diabetes Day. (Your club name) is joining the effort to bring world attention to diabetes by
opening its doors free for the day and by kicking off the health and fitness industry’s
“Exercise for Prevention” campaign to educate people on the critical role that exercise plays
in preventing type 2 diabetes and other chronic diseases.
Type 2 is the most common form of diabetes, and it occurs in people of all ages and races.
As many as 90 to 95 percent of all people with diabetes have type 2.
“On World Diabetes Day, (your club name) will offer a full-day open house to help call
attention to this serious disease,” says (your name, title, club name). “Throughout the day,
visitors can participate in exercise classes and use the equipment and facilities free of
charge.”
According to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), diabetes affects 246 million people
worldwide and is expected to affect some 380 million by 2025.
The good news is that with proper diet and exercise, type 2 diabetes is largely preventable.
At a minimum, proper diet and exercise can help control type 2 diabetes and sometimes
delay onset. In fact, according to the IDF, up to 80 percent of type 2 diabetes is preventable
by a healthy diet, increasing physical activity, and promoting a healthy lifestyle.
“As the world’s population has become more sedentary and obese, increasing numbers of
people are developing this potentially debilitating and too-often fatal disease,” says Joe
Moore, President and Chief Executive Officer of the International Racquet, Health &
Sportsclub Association (IHRSA). “As a worldwide industry committed to healthy living, health
clubs across the globe must do all we can to educate people on the preventive power of
exercise in fighting type 2 diabetes.”
Type 2 diabetes results when the body no longer processes sugar properly. Insulin, a
hormone created in the pancreas, moves sugar from the blood into the cells, where it can be
used for energy or stored for future use. Without insulin, the body cannot use the sugar.
In people with type 2 diabetes, their bodies don’t properly respond to insulin, so their cells
don’t get enough sugar—or glucose. Instead, glucose builds up in their blood. Over time,
high blood glucose levels can seriously damage the eyes, kidneys, nerves, and heart.
“We must stop ignoring the threat that sedentary lifestyles and poor diet pose to our health,”
says (your last name). “Research shows that regular exercise can lower the risk of type 2
diabetes as well as many other chronic diseases. If we are to reverse the growing diabetes
pandemic, we must create living and work environments in our local communities that
support regular exercise and healthy living.”
Exercise helps prevent type 2 diabetes by helping the body use glucose for energy, keeping
blood sugar at healthy levels. The contraction of muscles during exercise also forces blood
glucose into the muscle cells where it can be used as energy, and it makes the muscle cells
more receptive to taking in additional blood glucose. Too little physical activity, and too
much sugar in the diet, can burden the pancreas, making it work harder to produce enough
insulin to keep moving larger amounts of sugar.
“Not only does exercise help prevent type 2 diabetes, but it helps keep the rest of your body
healthy and strong,” says (your last name). “Even small amounts of exercise can make a
difference. The most important thing is getting started. So get moving today, and exercise
for prevention in the fight against diabetes.”
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(Your name) is a (your professional title) at (your club name) in (your town, state), and can
be contacted at (your telephone number/email address/website).
For more information on diabetes and World Diabetes Day, visit
http://www.worlddiabetesday.org.