November is American Diabetes Month

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
November 5, 2012

The Southern Nevada Health District has free, online programs that can help with nutritional choices and physical activity for anyone, including people with diabetes. Programs include the Nutrition Challenge, the Kids Challenge and Walk Around Nevada. In addition, the health district’s office of chronic disease prevention and health promotion developed several tools to coincide with American Diabetes Month, including:

• a diabetes self-management toolkit with tips and resources available for people with diabetes in both English and Spanish, visit www.GetHealthyClarkCounty.org or call (702) 759-1270.
• several community partner events are scheduled for November and information can be found: http://www.gethealthyclarkcounty.org/
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Diabetes self-management is considered a key element to avoid diabetes-related complications. Without appropriate diagnosis and treatment, diabetes is among the leading causes of blindness, kidney failure, heart disease and stroke. According to the Nevada Type 2 Diabetes Report 2012-2013 issued by Sanofi Aventis and partners, more than one in four (25.2 percent) Type 2 diabetes patients in Southern Nevada were diagnosed with more than two complications from their disease in 2011, 6.5 percentage points higher than the national average (18.7 percent). These patients are also more likely to be diagnosed with cardiovascular disease, nerve and/or kidney damage.

Some diabetes facts and statistics based on the 2011 National Diabetes Fact Sheet (the most recent year for which data is available):

• Is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States in 2007
• Is leading cause of kidney failure (44 percent of new cases in 2008)
• Is leading cause of new cases of blindness among adults age 20-74
• Approximately 60 to 70 percent of people with diabetes have mild to severe nervous system damage.
• More than 60 percent of non-traumatic lower-limb amputations occur in people with diabetes
• Adults with diabetes have heart disease death rates approximately two to four times higher than adults who do not have diabetes
• Risk of stroke is two to four times higher in people with diabetes
• High blood pressure rates were reported in 67 percent of adults with self reported diabetes in 2005-08

In Nevada, the costs associated with diabetes health care and related treatment in hospitals are estimated to be nearly $182 million annually (BRFSS 2009). More than 217,000 Nevadans are currently living with the disease. The Trust for America’s Health estimated that 34.2 percent of children in Nevada were either overweight or obese. Being overweight puts children at a much greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Hypertension rates for Nevada adults with diabetes is 72.8 percent almost triple the rate for people without diabetes. Diabetes is the leading cause of new cases of End-Stage Renal Disease in Nevada.

Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of the disease and is generally seen in adults, although it is diagnosed in children as well. While diabetes occurs in people of all ages and races, it is more common in African Americans, Latinos, Native Americans and Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders. In addition, older Americans have an elevated risk of developing the disease. Early detection of the disease allows patients to manage the disease and prevent complications.

Updated information about the Southern Nevada Health District can be found on Facebook www.facebook.com/SouthernNevadaHealthDistrict, on YouTube www.youtube.com/SNHealthDistrict or Twitter www.twitter.com/SNHDinfo The health district is now available in Spanish on Twitter www.twitter.com/TuSNHD. Don’t have a Twitter account? Follow the health district on your phone by texting “follow SNHDinfo” to 40404.

Visit the Media Contacts webpage for media related inquiries.

The Southern Nevada Health District serves as the local public health authority for Clark County, Boulder City, Henderson, Las Vegas, Mesquite and North Las Vegas. The agency safeguards the public health of the community’s residents and visitors through innovative programs, regulations, and initiatives focused on protecting and promoting their health and well-being. More information about the Health District, its programs, services, and the regulatory oversight it provides is available at www.SNHD.info. Follow the Health District on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.