OUTRAGED by new government campaign Change4life [Archive]

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Alba37

01-06-2009, 07:18 AM

Has anyone seen the TV ad (http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=AH8zClozUV8), website (http://www.nhs.uk/Change4Life/Pages/default.aspx) or newspaper ads?

You may be horrified that they do not stipulate Type 2, when they talk about Diabetes, and are leading the general public, once again, to believe Type 1 could be avoided, by a healthy diet and change of lifestyle. They also lead people to believe Type 1's have diabetes because they have had unhealthy diets and lifestyles.

Type 1's have enough to deal with without misleading the public by a massive ad campaign. If you feel strongly about this misleading ad, please consider complaining to the Advertising Standards Authority (http://www.asa.org.uk/asa/how_to_complain/complaints_form/)

We are having to listen again to how our lives are being shortened by a condition there is no way we could avoid, and this is terribly upsetting especially for children. This advert is potentially psychologically damaging to Type 1 children.

Ways to complain:

Please sign online Petition (http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/change4life/)- Asking that: The TV adverts should be taken off the air until they have been accurately rectified & all parties involved educated on this subject.

Online to the Advertising Standards Authority (http://www.asa.org.uk/asa/how_to_complain/complaints_form/)

Phoning Change4life directly - 0300 123 4567

Department of Health - Email Chief Medical Officer (CMOweb@dh.gsi.gov)

Email Diabetes UK (info@diabetes.org.uk), supporters of this campaign

Your own MP - Write to Them (http://www.writetothem.com/)

You can leave comments on DUK's face book wall (http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=20583485166&topic=6289).

Show support by joining the facebook group - Outraged at the Change4life Campaign (http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?topic=7166&post=34783&uid=43506195749#/group.php?gid=43506195749)

Also please spread the word, ask all friends and family to show support....

daniela mummy

01-07-2009, 06:13 PM

i already sbmit my complain on linefromyour link everybody should do it!!!

Jackie UK

01-08-2009, 11:25 AM

Has anyone seen the TV ad (http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=AH8zClozUV8), website (http://www.nhs.uk/Change4Life/Pages/default.aspx) or newspaper ads?

You may be horrified that they do not stipulate Type 2, when they talk about Diabetes, and are leading the general public, once again, to believe Type 1 could be avoided, by a healthy diet and change of lifestyle. They also lead people to believe Type 1's have diabetes because they have had unhealthy diets and lifestyles.

Type 1's have enough to deal with without misleading the public by a massive ad campaign. If you feel strongly about this misleading ad, please consider complaining to the Advertising Standards Authority (http://www.asa.org.uk/asa/how_to_complain/complaints_form/)

We are having to listen again to how our lives are being shortened by a condition there is no way we could avoid, and this is terribly upsetting especially for children. This advert is potentially psychologically damaging to Type 1 children.

Ways to complain:

Online to the Advertising Standards Authority (http://www.asa.org.uk/asa/how_to_complain/complaints_form/)

Phoning Change4life directly - 0300 123 4567

Department of Health - Email Chief Medical Officer (CMOweb@dh.gsi.gov)

Email Diabetes UK (info@diabetes.org.uk), supporters of this campaign

Your own MP - Write to Them (http://www.writetothem.com/)

You can leave comments on DUK's face book wall (http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=20583485166&topic=6289).

Hi A

I have now written to the Dept of health (Sir Liam), the Dept for Children and Families, NDST and signed the petition on the Downing street web site and emailed several other bodies and almost lost track by now of all the people I have contacted.

I am also wondering what other organisations like the Heart Foundation feel about it all. The adverts do not point out that some children are born with, or develop heart conditions, which are totally unrelated to obesity or poor diet. I just cannot think why the government would say these things.

All I can think of is that they wanted to get the message across in simple language but have failed dismally to get the correct message out! They obviously think that everyone is too stupid be able to deal with more than one idea at the same time

Alba37

01-08-2009, 12:23 PM

Thanks Daniela mummy! :)

Oh Jackie, I'm the same, I'm losing track now. But there is a few more I need to do, looking at your list.

I've updated the first post with the petition link now. I hope people support this.

momof2

01-10-2009, 01:00 PM

I have signed the position and complained to the ASA online!!

It's time for it to stop!

Jackie UK

01-10-2009, 01:47 PM

I have signed the position and complained to the ASA online!!

It's time for it to stop!

Yes there is only so much you can do. What is really needed is for the UK CWD Advocacy Group to discuss with DUK about what information they give out to journalists and other bodies. I dont know what their level of involvement was with this campaign. DUK has a media dept. When journalists or other bodies contacted Diabetes UK, they need to ensure that journalist are always told to differentiate between type 1 and type 2 and of course there are other types of diabetes as well.
Not that DUK had control other this campaign but I can’t imagine that they would not have been consulted as some point

Alba37

01-12-2009, 11:27 AM

Hi Fiona & welcome to CWD!

Jackie runs a email list for (http://mail.castleweb.com:81/guest/RemoteListSummary/cwd_uk) parents of T1 children, and it's been my life saver. The parents offer support, help and most of all understanding.

There is also a Facebook Group (http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=43506195749&ref=mf) with information and updates in the complaints re: change4life.

My son Marc, is 15 and is Type1. How old is your daughter?

I'm sorry you have to be here, but it's lovely meeting you.

Aileen x

Jackie UK

01-12-2009, 11:34 AM

Dear Alba/Jackie (I am new and wasn't sure)

Thank you for making it so easy for me to complain. I was outraged. I have Type 1 and my daughter does too and she is very sensitive to this campaign and the current climate in general.

I do not know much about Type 2 but it must be very difficult for those sufferers too as it is only linked to being overweight not actually proved. An interesting point is that the reason there is more diagnosis in Type 2 is that the Government has lowered the blood-sugar level it is diagnosed at. I believe this is, in part, to do with Diabetes UK putting pressure on the Government. Diabetes UK's strategy is to become a Top 10 charity and it cannot do this without numbers.

It is interesting to note that with only 300,000 people suffering from Type 1 in this country, 20,000 of which are children, Type 1 is not a priority for Diabetes UK. Especially those 20,000 children who have neither cash or can vote.

A little side rant. I am so grateful for your posting, my outrage has subdued a little.

I hope this wan't too much for a first posting but I was, before seeing your posting, livid.

Thank you, again.

Kind regards

I am very pleased to meet you. A warm welcome. Yes you are correct that obesity is certainly not the complete picture, for many people with type 2 there is a very strong genetic predisposition. I certainly know people that are not overweight who have type 2 diabetes. Though it is possible that some of these people may have one of the less well know types of diabetes like MODY. It does seem counter productive to make serious errors of omission in an advertising campaign that costs so much money.

Some of the parents who post on the this UK section and on the UK mailing list have set up an advocacy Group called UK CWD Advocacy Group and we do work with DUK and JDRF to try and raise awareness of problems with schools, support in clinics, insulin pump use etc.

How old is your child with diabetes?

momof2

01-14-2009, 02:46 PM

Great news - I have today received this email:

You recently signed a petition asking the Prime Minister to "Ensure the
Change4life campaign specifies ONLY Type2 Diabetes CAN be brought on by
lifestyle & Type1 cannot as it is an autoimmune disease"http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/change4life/

You may wish to be aware that following discussions with Diabetes UK, the
Department of Health have decided to modify the Change4Life advertising
materials to make clear that obesity leads to type 2 diabetes.
Prime Minister's Office

Petition information - http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/change4life/

Ellen

01-15-2009, 06:58 AM

Type 1 Diabetes Campaigners Win Changes To Change4Life

15 Jan 2009

Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), the world's leading charitable funder of type 1 diabetes research, today welcomed an announcement from the Department of Health that it will amend its Change4Life campaign.

Parents of children with type 1 diabetes have campaigned for clarification that obesity can be a contributing factor to type 2 diabetes, not type 1 diabetes.

TV advertising for the Change4Life campaign, which has been aired around children's programmes, said obesity can cause diabetes, but did not distinguish between the different types of diabetes.

A spokesperson from the Department of Health said that the complex information was put in a 'simple, brief form so that everyone can understand it.' The decision has now been taken to modify the Change4Life advertising materials.

Karen Addington, Chief Executive of JDRF commented: 'Although JDRF fully supports the objectives of the Change4Life campaign, the failure to distinguish type 1 from type 2 has caused great distress to families living with type 1, especially children.

'Since the start of the campaign, we have heard from many parents of children with type 1 diabetes whose children have been very upset by the advertising and who have been singled out, and even bullied, at school.

'Type 1 diabetes happens because a child's immune system attacks the cells in the pancreas that produce insulin. It leaves them dependent on multiple daily blood tests and insulin injections or pump infusions, every day for the rest of their lives, just to stay alive. It is not linked to lifestyle factors like weight or exercise.

'There is nothing that children with type 1 diabetes, or their parents, could have done to prevent their condition, and there is currently no cure. This is why JDRF invests millions of pound each year into medical research to find the cure for type 1 diabetes and its complications.

We have been working with our supporters to highlight this worry to the Government and we welcome this change.'

For more information on the campaign, visit http://www.nhs.uk/change4life. For more information about JDRF's work to find the cure for type 1 diabetes, and how you can help, visit http://www.jdrf.org.uk

JDRF
Article URL: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/135533.php

bex

01-15-2009, 05:14 PM

Thanks Ellen for that.

We are the group of parents with children with type 1 who have have 'ruffled' the DoH.

We are still working on this campaign despite's the DoH announcement as there has been no formal statement from them and that advert is still airing with the wrong words. Many materials and articles are still being published with the wrong facts.

If you would like to see what we are up too please visit us on facebook and join our group

http://www.facebook.com/inbox/readmessage.php?t=1009206593461&f=0&mbox_pos=20#/group.php?gid=43506195749&ref=ts

Thanks

Becca

Jackie UK

01-15-2009, 08:57 PM