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The Oxygen Park at the Education City was abuzz with activities as thousands participated in the Beat Diabetes' walkathon wearing blue T-shirts and caps on Friday. The event started by releasing blue balloons. It also featured face painting for children and mass warm-up sessions led by First Fitness. Officials from Qatar Biomedical Research Institute were also present to educate people about stem cells while the participants were treated to a complimentary healthy meal.
Recent figures from the seventh edition of the International Diabetes Federation's (IDF) Diabetes Atlas indicate that the number of people living with diabetes around the world is expected to rise from 415 million to 642 million by 2040. A sedentary lifestyle, unhealthy eating habits and low levels of awareness are noted as key contributors to the rapid incidence of type 2 diabetes in Middle East and North Africa. (Catherine W Gichuki/Doha)
