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November - American Diabetes Month

Beverly Miller

Beverly Miller, MHA, MBA, Acting Area Director

Indian Health Service California Area Office

 

Sponsor: American Diabetes Association  Exit Disclaimer: You Are Leaving www.ihs.gov

National Diabetes Month is observed every November to draw attention to diabetes and its effects on millions of Americans. Diabetes is one of the leading causes of disability and death in the United States. It can cause blindness, nerve damage, kidney disease, and other health problems if it’s not controlled.

One in 11 Americans have diabetes — that’s more than 29 million people. And another 86 million adults in the United States are at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

For the Native population in California, the Area wide final results for the Diabetes-related GPRA/GPRAMA measures in 2015 were:

Good Glycemic Control (A1c <8*)

50.3%

Controlled BP <140/90

63.0%

LDL Assessed

72.6%

Nephropathy Assessed

58.4%

Retinopathy Exam

48.0%

The good news is that you can prevent type 2 diabetes! People who are at high risk for type 2 diabetes can lower their risk by more than half if they make healthy changes. These changes include: eating healthy, increasing physical activity, and losing weight.

How can American Diabetes Month make a difference?

We can use this month to raise awareness about diabetes risk factors and encourage people to make healthy changes.

Here are just a few ideas:

Encourage people to make small changes, like taking the stairs instead of the elevator.

Talk to people in your community about getting regular checkups. They can get their blood pressure and cholesterol checked, and ask the doctor about their diabetes risk.

Ask doctors and nurses to be leaders in their communities by speaking about the importance of healthy eating and physical activity.

Get Involved

Take action to increase awareness about diabetes and healthy lifestyles.

  1. Partner with your local gym or YMCA to host a Diabetes Prevention Party focused on healthy eating and physical activity. Give away gym passes, fitness class certificates, or workout gear. Ask gym staff to do demonstrations or teach a free class.
  2. Find out which local churches have a health ministry. Offer to give a presentation on how to prevent type 2 diabetes at their next event.
  3. Host a cooking demonstration featuring diabetes-friendly recipes. Get local nutritionists involved.
  4. Include healthy Thanksgiving recipes in your next newsletter or company email along with quick tips on how to prevent type 2 diabetes.
  5. Post tips on type 2 diabetes prevention on your employee bulletin board.
  6. Encourage your members or employees to get active. Organize lunchtime walks or invite local gyms to showcase their fitness classes and programs.

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