HbA1C is a medical term used in relation to diabetes and refers to glycated haemoglobin. It develops when haemoglobin, a protein within red blood cells that carries oxygen throughout your body, joins with glucose in the blood, becoming ‘glycated’.
Blood sugar levels
By measuring glycated haemoglobin we get an overall picture of our blood sugar levels over weeks or months. For people with diabetes this is important, as the higher the HbA1c, the greater the risk of developing diabetes-related complications.
Healthy body Activities One club
But in Lambeth, volunteers are changing the meaning of HbA1c to Healthy body Activities 1 club – and looking for more volunteers to get exercise clubs going in Lambeth’s Parks. Exercise combined with a healthy diet can reduce the demand for insulin in the body and therefore help reverse Type 2 diabetes.
First volunteer
Cllr Sonia Winifred, Cabinet Member for Equalities and Culture, will lead the first group in Brockwell Park every Saturday at 9am. “Exercising together makes it easier to commit. The clubs won’t all start at 9am; people don’t have to come every Saturday, but I’ll be there. You can run, walk, jog, as long as you want and as fast as you want. The leaders don’t need to be fitness coaches, or people with diabetes, just people prepared to take ownership of their own. I hope we can get clubs started in every park in Lambeth.
Exercise is vital
“It’s inspired by my daughter being diagnosed with diabetes 10 years ago. Since then I’ve found out everything I could about it. I got involved with the Lambeth Diabetes Network and the DESMOND programme – Diabetes Education Self Management for Ongoing and Newly Diagnosed patients. I know that exercise is vital for managing glucose levels.
For more information
- For more details of glycated haemoglobin and reversing Type 2 diabetes through exercise see the Diabetes UK information pages
- To volunteer to lead an HbA1c club in your local Lambeth park, email Cllr Winifred
- For a map of Lambeth’s parks see the Council’s information pages.
