This Sunday, March 5, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., on the Place du Rotary in Saint-Pierre, the Sports and Free Time Office (OSTL) and the University Hospital are organizing a day of awareness, information and prevention around the obesity and rare diseases in Reunion.
Misconceptions regarding obesity and rare diseases abound and can endanger people’s health. This observation encourages the coordination platform for rare diseases (RE-MA-RARES) and the specialized obesity center of La Réunion to set up a health village with free and open access which will be led by caregivers, health networks and patient associations.
On site, visitors will be able to find obesity and diabetes screening stands, but also information, advice and sports activities, including a dance warm-up at 9.30 a.m., a 5 km solidarity walk at 10 a.m. (registration: 5 euros) or a giant zumba at 3 p.m. The kids, they can exert themselves on inflatable structures.
Incentives to exercise which are justified by the high rates of overweight and obesity on the island: 40% of the Reunionese population is concerned, due to sedentarization, diet, reduction of activities physical, genetic or psychological factors, etc. Predisposing to certain chronic diseases, obesity is a major public health issue.
95% of rare diseases without treatment
Information spaces also concern rare diseases which affect less than one person in 2000. This concerns one person in 20 in Reunion and in France. There are more than 7,000 of them, 80% of which are of genetic origin, and 95% of them have no curative treatments.
Some rare diseases are specific to Réunion: RAVINE syndrome, Dunnigan’s lipodystrophy, pulmonary alveolar proteinosis in Réunion and certain forms of genetic deafness.
International Rare Disease Day – February 28, or February 29, the rarest day on our calendars – and World Obesity Day – March 4 – are an obvious excuse to shed light on the diseases that affect our contemporaries.
