The fight against diabetes starts with children: the European DUSE project

Diabetes and other non-communicable diseases can be combated with a healthy lifestyle based on good nutrition and regular physical activity, which should start in childhood and adolescence. This is something acknowledged by the academics involved in the new European DUSE project, funded by the EU4Health programme and coordinated by the University of Bologna.

The initiative will directly involve young children in an educational project to prevent the development of diabetes. There will be specific meetings between project staff and schoolteachers, as well as technological solutions to encourage children and young people to adopt healthier lifestyles.

"Children no longer play outside the home or in parks. Most people nowadays also have 'desk' jobs where they spend many hours sitting down and they often use cars to get around. The result is that the population is becoming increasingly inactive,” explains Milena Raffi, professor at the Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences at the University of Bologna and coordinator of the DUSE project. "The incidence of diabetes is increasing because people are less physically active: our project aims to raise awareness that type 2 diabetes is largely preventable."

In addition to the in-person sessions with children and young people, the academics will also develop apps that focus on active learning through play experiences. The work is focused on encouraging attitudinal and behavioural change. The project will also promote a university course on teaching the prevention of non-communicable diseases.