When:
November 2006
Where: Nationwide
Institute: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
November is National Diabetes Awareness Month and once again your opportunity to learn more about diabetes and the risks associated with it. Diabetes is a serious disease that affects the body's ability to produce or respond properly to insulin, a hormone that allows blood glucose (sugar) to enter the cells of the body and be used for energy. Nearly 21 million children and adults in the United States have diabetes, and it is the fifth deadliest disease in the nation. Diabetes has no cure.
NIDDK has partnered with the American Diabetes Association to promote a comprehensive care message. Award-winning materials—brochures, tip sheets, and even menu planners—are available in Spanish, English, and many other languages. Educational materials of all kinds are available both for those who have already been diagnosed with diabetes and for those who want to learn how they can prevent the disease. This wealth of information can help you understand ways to prevent diabetes, how to eat healthfully, and how to keep yourself and your family healthy with exercise. You can find out your risk for diabetes by taking the online “Diabetes Risk Test.”
Next Steps
Visit
www.diabetes.org
for information about National Diabetes Awareness Month events in your local area and for other ways you can participate or learn more about this disease.
You can find out your risk for diabetes by taking the online “Diabetes Risk Test” at
www.diabetes.org/risk-test.jsp.
You can read, download, or order hard copies of NIDDK publications by visiting these links:
Please visit
www.ndep.nih.gov
for materials aimed at children, adolescents, and senior citizens and for professional materials that can help your medical practice communicate with at-risk patients.
