New ANSA page on diabetes

(ANSA) - Rome, March 14 - A new page on diabetes has been created on ANSA's health and wellbeing web page.
    The new page will provide specialized information in cooperation with the Italian Society for the Study of Diabetes (SID).
    After pages dedicated to children's health, with the Italian Pediatric society, the page '65+' in cooperation with Italian geriatrists, 'Her and Him' in partnership with gynecologists and andrologists, ANSA is expanding its specialized information and focusing on a disease that continues to be underestimated although it is expanding.
    Over four million people in Italy have been diagnosed with diabetes while an additional million people have been estimated to be unaware they have diabetes.
    Diabetes is a growing threat although progress is being made on therapies, physicians say.
    The president of the Italian Society of Diabetology, Giorgio Sesti, who is chairing until March 15 a national congress on diabetes in the coastal town of Riccione, spoke about the issue on the new ANSA page.
    "There is still a widespread perception that diabetes is not a serious disease", he said.
    "On the contrary, it has a high mortality rate due to various factors and increases the risk for certain cancers".
    The mortality rate among diabetics is three times higher compared to the population without diabetes, said Sesti.
    "Today more than ever, it is fundamental to reach citizens to inform them in a correct way about the consequences of diabetes and its possible prevention" with a healthy lifestyle.
    "However, such information needs to be mediated through certified channel with a high readership", said the president of Italian diabetologists, noting that the new service on diabetes provided by ANSA will give extensive information on the disease and ways to prevent it.
    ANSA Editor-in-Chief Luigi Contu said the "objective is to provide news and in-depth reports certified by the most qualified experts in the sector that are useful for patients".
    "We also want to provide information that is interesting for the media and institutions", Contu said, noting that this type of service is already provided for other health sectors.