November is American Diabetes Month
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
November 5, 2018
LAS VEGAS –In the United States, approximately 84 million people have prediabetes, and nine out of 10 of them do not know it. Prediabetes increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. During American Diabetes Month, the Southern Nevada Health District encourages everyone to take the prediabetes risk test, speak with a health care provider about their risks of developing the disease, and take steps to reverse prediabetes. The Health District and its community partners offer education, self-management classes, and support for people with diabetes and their families as well as programs that can help people lower their risk of developing type 2 diabetes. For more information about available resources, visit the Health District’s Get Healthy Clark County website or its Spanish-language site Viva Saludable.
Prediabetes is a condition where a person’s blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not high enough to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Prediabetes is reversible by incorporating a healthier lifestyle, such as increased physical activity, weight loss, and a healthier diet. Without lifestyle changes, prediabetes can progress into type 2 diabetes.
The Health District’s Office of Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion offers a free, online diabetes prevention program called the Road to Diabetes Prevention developed specifically for people with prediabetes or who are at risk for diabetes. The six-session course is available in English and Spanish. It teaches participants about risk factors and how to make simple lifestyle changes. Participants can sign up for the Road to Diabetes Prevention program on the Get Healthy Clark County or the Viva Saludable’s Programa de Prevención de Diabetes en línea webpages.
Diabetes self-management tips and resources are available for people with diabetes in English at Get Healthy Clark County and in Spanish at Viva Saludable. The Nevada Diabetes Resource Directory includes self-management guidance and local resources for people living with diabetes and their families. The Directory is available in English and Spanish on Get Healthy Clark County’s Diabetes webpage. In addition, Office of Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion staff members can conduct diabetes self-management workshops and interested individuals can fill out the Diabetes Workshop Registration Form to be included on a waiting list.
An individual can have prediabetes for many years without any symptoms. There are several risk factors for prediabetes, including being overweight, being 45 years old or older, having a close relative such as a parent or sibling with diabetes, having a sedentary lifestyle, having gestational diabetes, or having polycystic ovary syndrome. In addition, African Americans, Hispanics/Latinx, Native Americans, Pacific Islanders, and some Asian Americans have a higher risk factor. For additional information about prediabetes, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Prediabetes: Your Chance to Prevent Type 2 Diabetes webpage.
Chronic disease prevention resources for health care providers, including provider toolkits, are available at Get Healthy Clark County.
The Southern Nevada Health District’s Get Healthy Clark County and Viva Saludable websites also offer free, online programs that can help with nutritional choices and physical activity for everyone, including people with diabetes. Online programs include the Nutrition Challenge and Walk Around Nevada. Additional programs include tools and resources about smoking cessation, and resources for a healthier lifestyle.
For more information on mosquito surveillance activities in Southern Nevada, access the Southern Nevada Health District website. For additional information on eliminating breeding sources, access the CDC’s Controlling Mosquitoes at Home webpage.
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.