New program to educate about diabetes

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By the Lincoln Journal Star

Mayor Coleen Seng announced Thursday a new diabetes reduction program called ActionNOW!

The program will provide education and resources to help people lower their risk of diabetes, with all of its serious consequences.

The program was developed by the ActionNOW! Community Diabetes Prevention and Control Coalition, which formed two years ago.

“ActionNOW! encourages everyone in our community to eat right, to be physically active and to work toward a healthy weight, appropriate blood sugar levels and lower blood pressure,” Seng said.

Probably one in every five people has a genetic predisposition to Type 2 diabetes, also known as adult onset diabetes, said Dr. Leslie Spry, representing the Lancaster County Medical Society.

He likened them to an iceberg.

As rates of obesity continue climbing across the nation, more of this hidden iceberg develops into full-blown diabetes. Potential complications are blindness, kidney failure, loss of a limb, heart disease, stroke, nerve damage, infection and tooth decay.

About 20 million people have the disease, Spry said, but 50 million are at risk. Individuals can reduce their own risk by losing weight and being more active, which go hand in hand, he said.

“We’re trying to get a community response to this huge health issue,” said Health Department Director Bruce Dart. “Through this program, we hope to screen more people for diabetes so they can get the needed education and treatment.”

According to a Health Department survey:

* Area hospitals report that patients with diabetes have an average hospital stay of 5.5 days, compared to an average stay for four days for those without diabetes.

* From 1997 through 2002, the average cost per hospital stay for a person with diabetes was $15,000, compared to $9,966 for a patient without diabetes.

* Diabetes is more common as individuals grow older and among African Americans, Native Americans and Hispanic Americans.

Resources for the public:

* An answer line (434-7170) connecting to a registered nurse.

* An interactive Web site with a personalized diabetes risk quiz.

* A lending library.

* A resource manual for those wanting to help themselves.

* Messages in movie theaters, billboards and the news media.

Program sponsors include BryanLGH Medical Center; the Community Health Endowment of Lincoln; the Diabetes Prevention and Control Program of the Nebraska Health and Human Services System; Four Star Drug; the Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department; Saint Elizabeth Regional Medical Center; and Union Bank and Trust.