A diabetes time bomb is about to explode in this century unless people begin to make an active effort to take care of their health and fight the flab.

This is the message of local and international health activists as World Diabetes Day approaches on November 14.

In the run up to Sunday, activists around the world said millions of lives are threatened by the dual epidemics of diabetes and obesity which affect countries all over the world.

Debbie Jones, the co-ordinator of the Diabetes Centre at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital, said Bermudians are continuing to make high fat foods and sugary drinks like soda and ice tea a staple of their daily diet.

Bermudians are also getting less exercise ? a factor which can lead to the development of Type II diabetes later in life combined with a poor diet.

Local activists are also campaigning to get soda machines out of schools and to encourage children at all levels of the education system to participate in fun activities to get them interested in exercise.

?There are simple things we can do as a community,? said Mrs. Jones. ?We need to get people to stop drinking soda and to drink more water to replace sugary drinks.

?We should be doing at least 30 minutes of physical activity a day as studies show that walking every day and cutting out sweet drinks can help to prevent Type II diabetes later in life.?

This weekend an Australian opera and cabaret singer ? Janelle Colquhoun will be on the Island as a guest artist to send out the message of prevention through good health.

A walking marathon scheduled for Sunday morning. A gala dinner will also take place on November 20 to help raise funds for diabetes prevention and education.

Mrs. Jones said the message remains the same as it has in recent years ? Bermudians are not getting enough exercise but they are getting their fill of greasy, fast foods.

?What is worrying is that people?s average weights are now 30 to 40 pounds heavier than they were 20 years ago,? said Mrs. Jones. ?More children in the United States are developing type one diabetes than type two diabetes and Bermuda is following suit.

?If you look at the fast food restaurants which are filled with people lined up outside the door you see fast food has an appeal ? people want that instant gratification.?

Weight gains are all increasing around the waist ? a worrying trend in young people as it presents an additional risk factor for the onset of type two diabetes.

?You find that in school the first part of the curriculum to go is the physical fitness period and replaced with academics.

?People are finding it a lot easier not to exercise and also a lot harder to find safe places to exercise.?

Health experts report that obesity is not only a major risk factor for type 2 diabetes but also for other non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular disease (heart attack and stroke).

Today, diabetes and other non-communicable diseases related to obesity account for more deaths each year world wide than AIDS.

In Bermuda 18 percent of the population or about 1 in seven people has Type II diabetes.

Bermuda is not alone in dealing with the issue of obesity. Obesity, particularly abdominal obesity, is a major modifiable risk factor for type 2 diabetes, which accounts for over 90 percent of all diabetes. Diabetes alone currently affects 194 million people world wide and the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) predicts that this will increase to 333 million by 2025, with a massive burden on the health care system in developing countries.

Even countries with significant rates of under-nutrition such as Ghana start to see a growing prevalence of overweight and obesity in certain groups of people.

?Adopting a healthy lifestyle is first the responsibility of the individual,? said Professor Claude Bouchard, president of the International Association for the Study of Obesity.

?However, it is also the responsibility of policy makers worldwide, to ensure safe exercise environments, safe transport to and from school or work by foot and bicycle, and promotion of healthy food such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains.

?It is already late but policy makers, business communities and individuals can join forces to fight obesity and prevent diabetes?.

The International Diabetes Federation and the International Association for the Study of Obesity (IASO) are sending a call to action to governments, health decision makers and business communities to adopt and implement strategies that encourage and facilitate physical activity and a healthy diet.