Diabetes: introduction - Special Section

As the number of people with diabetes has skyrocketed, so has the amount of information available to us. Television ads tout the latest drugs to control blood sugar; mega-bookstores stock dozens of cookbooks telling us how to prepare low-fat meals and celebrities make the talk show rounds sharing firsthand accounts with this disease. One person committed to diabetes education is Marvin Isley, member of the legendary Isley Brothers. Sadly, he suffered a stroke and had his leg amputated because of diabetes.

While there are many other moving stories, as I scan the past decade, one thing is clear: Diabetes now receives unprecedented attention in the African-American community and consequently is more widely viewed as a serious threat. That's a positive step toward reducing the number of lives cut short.

Yet, we've only hit the tip of the iceberg. While the public is familiar with some of the disease's complications, like blindness and amputation, according to a recent survey of people with diabetes, we still have a way to go. Consider these survey results: Nearly 70 percent of the respondents didn't know of their increased risk for heart disease and stroke. Why is this important? Because not only are heart disease and stroke the leading causes of death in people with diabetes, but having this condition doubles your chance of developing heart disease, and increases fivefold your odds of having a stroke. What's just as surprising is the fact that these same people also didn't understand that high blood pressure and high cholesterol, which many of them have, directly contribute to heart disease and stroke.

In a nutshell, this survey illuminated an information gap that we have to pay attention to, address and act on quickly. Our response is a new initiative created in partnership with the American College of Cardiology, called "Make the Link! Diabetes, Heart Disease and Stroke." We want to change people's thinking about diabetes--that it's not simply about blood sugar control, but managing blood pressure and cholesterol as well. To do this, we're stressing the ABCs of diabetes. The A stands for the A1C, a test that indicates your average blood sugar for the past 3 months. B is for blood pressure--a reminder to keep it within a healthy range, ideally below 130/80. And finally, C is for cholesterol--a warning to prevent those LDL levels from creeping above 100.

While we're introducing a new theme, we're not discarding the old ones. It's always important to remember that a healthy lifestyle includes eating right and exercising--two ways to keep your blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol in check. For those needing a refresher course, the Association offers "Keeping Your Heart Healthy," a publication that includes tips for preparing foods, guidelines to avoid "supersized" portions and recommendations for easily increasing your activity level.

When last year's article hit the newsstands and invited you to order a free diabetes packet, hundreds of EBONY readers did. We were encouraged by your response and pleased that the American Diabetes Association can continue its role as a leader in providing helpful information to African-Americans. As we receive groundbreaking research or develop educational materials to help people live longer, healthier lives, be assured that we'll pass it along to EBONY readers.

New Ways To Deal With An Old Problem

Less pain, less blood, less bother. Thanks to a number of new blood-glucose monitoring devices, living with diabetes doesn't have to be so uncomfortable. And the monitors are not only giving the more than 17 million Americans who have diabetes a reprieve from the painful daily finger pricks they endure, but also makes it easier to better control the deadly disease.

The new technology is being considered a breakthrough because the medical community considers blood-glucose monitoring and insulin treatment the cornerstone to any successful diabetes management regimen. Many of these new testing devices require only a tiny blood sample, and they give an accurate result in a few seconds, doctors say Some of the instruments allow a person to test on his or her arm, where there are fewer nerve endings. Three out of four patients who tested on their arm reportedly said that they experienced no pain at all or much less pain than that associated with a finger prick.

Researchers are considering several other possibilities to help diabetics better cope with the disease that can be managed, doctors say. When combined with other tests, regular doctor's exams and preventive measures, medical experts believe a person with diabetes can keep the disease under control, and even turn back the clock on its ravaging effects.

As researchers look for additional solutions, diabetes continues to be one of the most costly and burdensome chronic diseases, and is a condition that is increasing in epidemic proportions in the U.S. and throughout the world. It is the country's fifth deadliest disease. Approximately 2.8 million or 13 percent of all African-Americans have diabetes. However, one-third of them don't know it.