Diabetes forum reaches almost 10% of UK people with diabetes

The Diabetes.co.uk Support Forum represents the voice of almost one in 10 of the UK’s diabetes population after its forum reached the 300,000-member milestone this month.

The Diabetes Forum has surpassed 300,000 members – meaning it now provides support to over 7.5% of the 3.8million people currently living with diabetes in the UK. Available as a web and mobile app, the Diabetes Forum provides peer support – enabling people with diabetes to questions, share experiences and find support.

The Diabetes Forum can be accessed from Diabetes.co.uk, which celebrated its 16^thanniversary this month. Diabetes.co.uk reaches over three million visitors a month with 650,000 members, having launched in 2003 in response to a need for a digital platform for people with diabetes.

Impact

Forum members have contributed to research designed to further the understanding of type 1 and type 2 diabetes. A Royal Holloway, University of London study conducted in 2017 demonstrated the Forum was a “catalyst of innovation” and “empowered members”. Researchers at the University of Edinburgh, also examined the social dynamics of Twitter, Facebook and Diabetes.co.ukand their value implications for people with diabetes, concluding that the Forum was the “most actively used social medium” for people with diabetes.

Diabetes.co.uk is operated by Diabetes Digital Media, whose founder, digital health and artificial intelligence pioneer Arjun Panesar, was selected for the prestigious NHS Innovation Accelerator fellowshipfor work with the multi-award winning Low Carb Program.

Arjun said: “The Diabetes.co.uk Forum is a space for people with diabetes and their friends and carers to find support, ask questions and share their experiences. This is a compassionate platform where everyone is tolerated, within reason, and we thank you very much for being part of the community. The Diabetes Forum has helped hundreds of thousands of people over the last 16 years. and we look forward to continuing to do so.”

Three research studies are currently taking place on the Diabetes Forum and its impact on health outcomes.