Diabetes Education Campaign

I'm on my way to launching a Coalition for Diabetes Education campaign in the state of Illinois. This program, led by a team of diabetes educators, endocrinologists, peds, nutritionists, and students, will target not only the under-served type II diabetic population at whole, but also our entire adolescent population.

Yes, most people scoff at me whenever I discuss the importance of preventative education in Type II diabetes. But in my head, I just scoff back, not at their ignorance in understanding the topic, but from being too arrogant to even try. It IS a serious disease, and a rapidly growing one at that. In fact, just in the past recent years, Type II diabetes stopped being referred to as Adult-Onset Type II diabetes because of its abnormal growing prevalence in adolescents (including its growing dependency on insulin). Thus, Diabetes Mellitus Type II, now affecting over 20 million people in the U.S. alone.

I was an intern on a pediatric Type II diabetes research project two years ago, in which the precursors to the onset type II diabetes were assessed. Children, as young as 7, were developing high risk atherosclerosis, high blood glucose levels, increasing amounts of weight gain, and altered vision (prolonged high blood glucose causes changes in the shape of the lens in the eye, leading to blurred vision). Then children, as young as 12, were put at greater risk for developing PCOS, a risky condition affecting the ovarian system of females.

Why this disease is important, is simply because of how UNIMPORTANT it COULD be. It is extremely preventable when an individual regulates their diet and exercise. Ironically, we live in a country where you can find a fitness center on your handy-dandy Garmin within every 5 mile urban radius. Yet, we are the leading country in both obesity and poor nutrition. I understand, of course, that dietary situations vary amongst different households. However, even under the most extreme conditions, can certain needs be met. I mentioned to you that Type II diabetes holds the name of over 20 million Americans. But what is even scarier, is that type II diabetes (and usually female-associative PCOS) holds spots for 58 million people in the United States, and also provides an onset for a multitude of other health risks.

58 million people! And over 180 billion dollars per year are being spent on diabetes healthcare treatments in the United States. This is when diabetes education becomes even more important. These dollars could be allocated in more efficient directions, if the individuals themselves understood more about the issue at hand. In America, it has become too damn easy, for an individual to experience some discomforting feelings, make a doctors appointment, and simply come home with a prescription for metformin, glucaformin, or whatever.

In my past few years at the University of Florida, I have held diabetes education seminars for local city residents to learn more about the onset of type II diabetes, preventative care, and long-term adjustments. Many church go-ers, families, and individuals from the underserved population attended, only to be shocked to hear what they learned. Many diagnosed patients did not know that their disease could be reverted (depending upon age and degree of significance), and could spend much less of their household income on medication and health care in exchange for living a healthier and longer life. This is the case, especially with low-income working families who do not have the time, nor money, to obtain literature and nutritional help regarding their health.

Good news, the NIH is funding the CDC a 5-year grant to determine important information regarding Type II diabetes and its associative health risks. http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/pubs/factsheet03.htm. This will help make our government, both national and state, as well as our people, become more aware of a dangerous issue. As this health problem is a preventable one, there are very few ways the FDA can be sneaky and prevent providing the proper guidance and education in prevention.

I hope to make a difference by starting at the bottom up. Giving children in schools the chance to learn more about their health, on a professional and leisurely level. It happens, that children do not get the proper teaching in their homes regarding proper health and nutrition. This is not to point out bad parenting, but to point out that an understanding of the subject is just not always there. If this happens, I will work to include free monthly seminars for local residents, including a push for free local health clinics for the underserved population. I have done my research and contacted several Chicago clinics and schools, in order to find possible locations to hold these programs. There has been heavy support thus far, and with current health reform discussing the emphasis on preventative health care, I'm hoping this works :)