[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 3, Volume 1]
[Revised as of January 1, 2006]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 3CFR7953]

[Page 132-133]
 
Proclamation 7953 of November 2, 2005

National Diabetes Month, 2005

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

Americans of all ages and backgrounds live with diabetes. Nearly 21 
million of our citizens have this disease, and researchers estimate that 
more than 6 million of these individuals have not been diagnosed and are 
unaware they have it. National Diabetes Month is an opportunity to 
educate citizens about diabetes and what they can do to help prevent and 
treat this disease.
Type 1 diabetes, once known as juvenile diabetes, destroys insulin-
producing cells and usually strikes children and teenagers. Nearly 95 
percent of all diabetics suffer from type 2 diabetes, a condition in 
which the body fails to produce or to use insulin properly. Type 2 
diabetes typically occurs in inactive or obese adults or individuals 
with a family history of the disease and now increasingly appears in 
inactive or overweight children. Because of a lack of insulin, diabetics 
face potential blindness, nontraumatic amputations, kidney disease, and 
increased risk of heart disease and stroke.
Studies have shown that minor weight loss and daily exercise can help 
prevent and reduce the effects of diabetes. I encourage all Americans to 
follow the new dietary guidelines released by the Department of Health 
and Human Services earlier this year that emphasize the importance of 
nutritious foods and regular physical activity. In addition to taking 
steps toward a healthier lifestyle, Americans should consult their 
doctors for preventive screenings to detect diabetes in its earliest 
stages. Under the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and 
Modernization Act of 2003, these screenings are now covered for Medicare 
beneficiaries. These simple tests can save lives and help prevent this 
potentially life-threatening illness.
My Administration remains committed to fighting diabetes through 
research and prevention, and we will continue to support the National 
Institutes of Health (NIH) and others in their efforts to combat this 
disease. This

[[Page 133]]

year, the NIH dedicated more than $1 billion to diabetes research. The 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the NIH are also 
sponsoring the National Diabetes Education Program, which has helped to 
inform more than 180 million Americans in the last 3 years about healthy 
choices and the risk factors of diabetes.
During National Diabetes Month and throughout the year, we pay tribute 
to the doctors, nurses, scientists, researchers, and all those dedicated 
to the fight against diabetes. I urge the millions of Americans living 
with this disease and all citizens to lead healthy lives and to motivate 
others to do the same. By working together to prevent this disease, we 
can improve the quality of life for more Americans.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of 
America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and 
laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim November 2005 as National 
Diabetes Month. I call upon all Americans to learn more about the risk 
factors and symptoms associated with diabetes and to observe this month 
with appropriate programs and activities.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this second day of 
November, in the year of our Lord two thousand five, and of the 
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and 
thirtieth.
GEORGE W. BUSH