National Report Says Minorities Hard Hit by Diabetes: National Diabetes Education Program Responds : NIDDK

National Report Says Minorities Hard Hit by Diabetes: National Diabetes Education Program Responds


January 25, 2000

Washington, DC
--African Americans, Mexican Americans and American Indians have experienced a particularly sharp rise in the prevalence of type 2 diabetes over the last decade, according to Healthy People 2010, the nation's health report, released today. "Diabetes is the epidemic of our times, but for certain minority populations it is especially devastating," said Rodney Lorenz, M.D., co-chair of the National Diabetes Education Program (NDEP). The NDEP is sponsored by the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The prevalence of diabetes among African Americans aged 40 to 74 has doubled in just 12 years, from 8.9 percent to 18.2 percent. More than 10 percent of all Mexican Americans aged 20 or older have diabetes. The number jumps to almost 24 percent among Mexican Americans aged 45 to 74. Among the Pima Indians of Arizona, about 50 percent of people between the ages of 30 and 64 have diabetes.

"In some instances, minority populations are almost twice as likely as whites to have diabetes. And we're seeing more children with type 2 diabetes, a disease that until now was seen only in adults," said Yvette Roubideaux, M.D., chair of the NDEP Community Interventions working group. "Healthy People 2010 sets the same goals and standards for all populations. We hope this report will increase the attention given to underserved people," said Roubideaux.

Eliminating racial disparities is one of two main goals of the Healthy People 2010 Objectives for the next decade and a major public health challenge. To achieve that goal, the National Diabetes Education Program is mobilizing hundreds of local and state groups, minority organizations, the media, corporations, and health care providers to raise awareness and to provide care to people with diabetes.

Scientific evidence shows that aggressive management of diabetes can significantly delay or prevent the serious complications of the disease--kidney failure, blindness, and toe, foot or leg amputations. Controlling blood sugar levels also reduces risks for heart disease, the major killer of people with diabetes.

Managing diabetes requires ongoing, daily self-management--good nutrition, regular physical activity, monitoring of blood sugar levels, and taking prescribed medications.

The Healthy People reports are compiled by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services every ten years to assess the state of our nation's health (www.healthypeople.gov). For more information and free materials to help people with diabetes control their disease, call the National Diabetes Education Program at 1-800-438-5383 or visit the program's web sites at http://ndep.nih.gov or www.cdc.gov/diabetes.

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