November 20, 2002
"Small Steps, Big Rewards" Aims At Stemming Rapid Rise in Diabetes Across U.S.
HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson today launched the first national diabetes prevention campaign in an effort to stem the explosion of diabetes and to help millions of Americans live longer and healthier lives.
The campaign, "Small Steps, Big Rewards," emphasizes that modest lifestyle changes -- including healthier diets and physical activity -- can help people prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes, the most common form of the disease.
"This campaign says that there is hope for the millions of Americans who are at risk for developing diabetes," Secretary Thompson said. "You don't have to be a marathon runner or starve yourself to prevent diabetes. You can make small changes and take small steps that translate into big rewards."
The new campaign will be run by the National Diabetes Education Program (NDEP), which is jointly sponsored by HHS' National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The campaign emphasizes that modest lifestyle changes can do much to prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes.
About 17 million Americans have diabetes today, including about 16 million with Type 2. In addition, at least 16 million more Americans have pre-diabetes -- a condition that raises a person's risk of getting type 2 diabetes. However, a diagnosis of pre-diabetes does not mean that diabetes is inevitable, and the new campaign aims at encouraging people to take modest steps that will reduce their risks.
Nationally, diabetes has increased nearly 50 percent in the past 10 years alone, according to CDC estimates, and the incidence of the disease is expected to grow another 165 percent by 2050 under current trends.
The "Small Steps, Big Rewards" campaign grew out of the findings of HHS' Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) clinical trial. The study, sponsored by NIH, showed that people with pre-diabetes -- those whose blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not yet diabetic -- can delay and possibly prevent type 2 diabetes by losing 5 to 7 percent of their body weight through moderate changes in diet and exercise.
The DPP found that modest weight loss and regular physical activity, such as brisk walking for 30 minutes a day five times per week, could cut the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by more than half in people with pre-diabetes. These lifestyle changes worked for people of every ethnic or racial group who participated in the study, and they were especially successful for people over age 65.
"As a nation, we are facing a 'double whammy,'" said NDEP Chair James R. Gavin III, M.D., Ph.D. "Baby boomers and seniors are entering the higher-risk years, and now we are seeing a new phenomenon -- an alarming rise in the number of children with type 2 diabetes. The good news is that diabetes can be prevented with modest lifestyle changes."
Risk factors for diabetes and pre-diabetes include being overweight, inactive, age 45 or older, having high blood pressure, low HDL cholesterol and high triglycerides, a family history of diabetes, a history of gestational diabetes or giving birth to a baby weighing more than 9 pounds, and belonging to an ethnic or minority group at high risk for diabetes. African Americans, Hispanic Americans/Latinos, American Indians and Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders are at increased risk for type 2 diabetes.
The "Small Steps, Big Rewards" campaign will include:
- Lifestyle change tools similar to those used in the successful DPP clinical trial so people who are at risk can put them to use in their every day lives;
- A health care provider's tool kit, which will guide users on how to educate and help their patients;
- Web-based resources for health care providers and consumers;
- Partner outreach using NDEP's network of more than 200 partners at the local, state, and national level to deliver the diabetes prevention message and develop appropriate community interventions;
- Participation of businesses and consumer-based programs and initiatives as partners in diabetes prevention; and
- Messages and materials for a national public awareness campaign including TV, radio, and print public service announcements.
HHS' National Diabetes Education Program (NDEP) involves more than 200 public and private sector partners who work at the national, state, and local level. More information on the new campaign and on the diagnosis and treatment of diabetes and pre-diabetes is available at www.ndep.nih.gov or by calling 1-800-438-5383.
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Contact: NIDDK Press Office
(301) 496-3583
Note: All HHS press releases, fact sheets and other press materials are available at www.hhs.gov/news
