June 23, 1998 WASHINGTON, DC - June 23, 1998 - Today the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) launched the National Diabetes Education Program's Control Your Diabetes. For Life. campaign to encourage the 16 million Americans with diabetes to control their blood sugar levels. Representatives Elizabeth Furse (D-OR) and George Nethercutt (R-WA), co-chairs of the Congressional Diabetes Caucus were present to give their support to the campaign. PGA golfer Lee Elder was also on hand to help call attention to this serious disease.
"Minority populations are greatly affected by diabetes and they experience higher rates of eye disease, kidney disease, amputations, and premature deaths," said U.S. Surgeon General Dr. David Satcher in videotaped remarks shown at the event. "The National Diabetes Education Program is a key strategy of the recently announced President's Initiative on Race, which is designed to improve the health status of America's racial and ethnic populations."
Dr. Phillip Gorden, director of NIH's National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), issued a call to action. "Research shows that aggressive treatment with diet, physical activity, and new medicines will prevent or delay much of the illness and death from diabetes," he said.
By showing "the many faces of diabetes," campaign messages should raise awareness about the importance of controlling diabetes, especially among African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, and Native Americans. The campaign will deliver its messages through television, radio, and print public service announcements and through messages delivered by the program's Partnership Network of more than 100 public and private sector organizations.
Dr. Gorden pointed out that "the prevalence of diabetes is rising as the U.S. population ages and as more Americans become obese. Diabetes is the leading cause of adult blindness, end-stage kidney disease, and amputations of the foot or leg. In addition, people with diabetes have an increased risk of heart disease and stroke. Death rates are twice as high among middle-aged people with diabetes as among middle-aged people without diabetes." Dr. Richard Eastman, director of the Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Metabolic Diseases at NIH explained that "African Americans and Hispanic Americans are on average almost twice as likely to have diabetes as non-Hispanic whites of similar age." The estimated cost of diabetes to the nation is $98 billion each year.
"People with diabetes need to step forward and take control of their diabetes," said Dr. Frank Vinicor, director of the Division of Diabetes at CDC. "Scientific studies provide compelling evidence that maintaining blood sugar levels at less than seven percent, as measured by a blood test called the hemoglobin A1c test (also called H-b-A-one-c), may reduce the risk of diabetes complications by 50-80 percent," he said.
"A key step in eliminating disparities is improving access to quality care," said Dr. Charles M. Clark, Jr., chair of the National Diabetes Education Program. Dr. Clark unveiled the program's Principles of Diabetes Care, which will be distributed to health care providers and people with diabetes. "The Principles describe the essential components of good diabetes management, while leaving the specifics of good care up to the person with diabetes and his or her health care team."
Campaign materials help people with diabetes to learn about their blood sugar numbers and how to control their disease. The materials also give health care providers information on ways to help patients manage their diabetes. More diabetes information is available by calling 1-800-438-5383 or visiting the NDEP web site at http://ndep.nih.gov or http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes.
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CONTACT: Joanne Gallivan
(301) 496-3583
Faye Wong
(770) 488-5037
