Spreading The Word About Diabetes (NAPSA)—Encouraging a friend or co-worker to take a walk during a lunch break could be an important step in the fight against diabetes. That’s just one of the simple ways during American Diabetes Month this November that people can improve their health and help prevent type 2 diabetes. A Growing Threat Diabetes has no boundaries or limits. The American Diabetes Association (ADA), which works to raise awareness of the seriousness of the disease, reports that nearly 21 million children and adults in the United States have diabetes. Another 54 million have pre-diabetes. This disease is also reaching epidemic proportions around the globe. Currently, 246 million people in the world have diabetes. If current health trends continue, 380 million people worldwide will have diabetes by the year 2020. The Face Of Diabetes The burden of diabetes is especially great for minority communi- ties. In fact, if present trends continue, one in two minorities born today will develop diabetes during their lifetime. Children with type 1 diabetes also face an urgent need for care. About 150,000 young people age 18 and younger in the United States have type 1 diabetes. Each American DIABETES November 2007 2d. American Diabetes Association year, 13,000 young people in the U.S. are diagnosed with type 1 diabetes—a disease that cannot be cured or prevented. New Hope The good newsis that there is a global united front in the fight against diabetes. The United Nations passed a Resolution raising awareness about the diabetes epidemic. The Resolution designates November 14, the current World Diabetes Day, as an officially observed United Nations day starting in 2007. In support of the continuing fight against diabetes, everyone, including caregivers and employers, can play an important role in educating themselves, their loved ones, friends and co-workers about diabetes and staying healthy. For more information on diabetes and American Diabetes Month, call 1-800-DIABETES or visit www.diabetes.org. Information is available in English and Spanish.
