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Cornyn Highlights Importance of Diabetes Prevention, Healthy Lifestyles At Houston Elementary
Monday, January 14, 2008
HOUSTON—U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, today visited MacArthur Elementary School in Galena Park to talk with students about the importance of weight management and diabetes prevention through proper nutrition, screenings, and healthy lifestyles. Students at this predominately Hispanic school are kicking off an eight-week Choosing Health and Sensible Exercise (CHASE) program that is supported by the American Diabetes Association (ADA) and administered by the Harris County Hospital District and Baylor College of Medicine Department of Community Medicine. The program combines physical activity with health education to steer children toward healthier lifestyles to prevent diabetes.
"By educating children at a young age and equipping them with the tools and guidelines they need to lead healthy, active lives, we have the unique opportunity to begin reversing negative trends in juvenile and adult diabetes and ensuring a healthier future for today’s children. This is just the kind of important work I was able to witness today at MacArthur Elementary School. Here, the CHASE program is blending the talents and skills of medical staff, community organizations, and school faculty to provide students and their families with valuable health education tools to prevent diabetes.
“I’m hopeful more schools across Texas will follow the example set by MacArthur Elementary and begin educating students about the steps they can take to stay healthy and diabetes-free. I will continue to do my part on the federal level to implement policies that provide incentives and funding to boost early detection, prevention, and awareness efforts.”
Ralston Creswell, Sr. Executive Director of the ADA Southeast Texas, said: “The American Diabetes Association thanks Senator Cornyn for his support in fighting this epidemic. Early intervention is critical, as currently 1 in 3 children are at risk for developing diabetes in their lifetime.
“We think the schools are a key way to educate not only children, but their families as well about exercise and good nutrition, and that's exactly what CHASE is designed to do.”
Sen. Cornyn has recently supported two bills in the U.S. Senate aimed at preventing, detecting and bringing down diabetes rates in Texas. In December, Sen. Cornyn introduced the Catalyst to Better Diabetes Care Act, legislation that would boost diabetes awareness, prevention and treatment efforts. Among other provisions, the bill would help us track our progress against diabetes by creating a National Diabetes Report Card, which would encourage states to do more to combat the disease.
Sen. Cornyn recently cosponsored S.1494, a bill that would amend the Public Health Services Act to reauthorize and increase funding for the Special Funding Program for Type 1 Diabetes for another five years. Type 1 diabetes is an incurable autoimmune disease that affects children, adolescents, and adults, in which the immune system attacks cells in the pancreas that produce insulin, causing those with the disease to be dependent on insulin for the rest of their lives.
At today’s event, Sen. Cornyn was joined by representatives from the ADA, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), Harris County Hospital District, and the Galena Park Independent School District. In addition, several families who have been impacted by diabetes joined Sen. Cornyn in discussing the importance of prevention and early diabetes detection.
Background:
- Diabetes is the fifth deadliest disease in the U.S., and it has no cure.
- Since 1987 the death rate due to diabetes has increased by 45 percent, while the death rates due to heart disease, stroke, and cancer have declined.
- Nearly 21 million children and adults in the U.S. are currently living with diabetes, but only two-thirds have been diagnosed. In Texas, an estimated 1.4 million people over the age of 18 (8 percent) have been diagnosed with diabetes. It is estimated another 410,000 or more people over the age of 18 are believed to have undiagnosed diabetes.
- Another 54 million Americans have pre—diabetes. What used to be called “adult-onset” diabetes is now showing up in younger patients.
- Estimates show that if we do nothing to change our current path, by 2025 almost 4.5 million Texans will have diabetes – resulting in over 55,000 deaths annually at a cost of $31 billion, nearly triple what it is today.
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