 "Diabetes is a serious and costly disease that can affect anyone,
young and old, men and women," said Adams. "Through public
awareness, prevention and control, and research, we're joining the
fight against this disease and providing hope for people who have
diabetes."The Windy City Walk for Diabetes will begin at noon
Wednesday at the John Hancock Building and continue south down
Michigan Avenue. The Sears Tower is among hundreds of world
landmarks to light up in blue.
This year's World Diabetes Day campaign focuses on diabetes in
children and adolescents. Diabetes is one of the most common chronic
diseases of childhood. It can strike children at any age, including
preschool children and even toddlers.
Last year, the General Assembly of the United Nations passed a
landmark resolution recognizing diabetes as a chronic, debilitating
and costly disease. The resolution designates World Diabetes Day on
Nov. 14 as a United Nations Day to be observed every year starting
in 2007. More information is available at
http://www.worlddiabetesday.org/.
Also last year, Blagojevich signed legislation to create the
Illinois State Diabetes Commission. The commission met for the first
time in May of 2007 and is working to develop a strategy for
prevention, treatment and control of diabetes.
The Diabetes Research Checkoff Fund, created by the governor in
2005, has received enough donations to remain on the Illinois income
tax forms for another year. The fund provides more than $100,000
annually for diabetes research.
Taxpayers may contribute to the fund by indicating on their
income tax return form the amount they wish to donate. The donation
either increases the amount the taxpayer owes or reduces the refund.
Money collected in the fund is given to the Illinois Department of
Human Services to provide grants for diabetes research. IDHS
distributes the donations to fund-approved research projects for
juvenile diabetes. The money is divided equally between the American
Diabetes Association and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation
to support diabetes research.
Local health departments and community health centers participate
in the Illinois Department of Human Services Diabetes Prevention and
Control Program Case Management/Disease Management Awareness
program. Twenty-eight local health departments and community health
centers across the state receive funding to assess the needs of
individuals with diabetes in their communities. Through partnerships
with the American Diabetes Association, American Heart Association,
Department of Public Health and University of Illinois Extension,
efforts are being made to provide quality diabetes and health
education.
According to the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System,
currently 753,056 adults in Illinois have been told by their health
care provider that they have diabetes, and another 376,000 may have
undiagnosed diabetes. BRFSS is a state-based program that gathers
information on risk factors among Illinois adults 18 years of age
and older through monthly telephone surveys.
Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness among most adults, and
it's important to have regular yearly exams. The Department of Human
Services has collaborated with optometrists and ophthalmologists in
Illinois on the Eye Care Aware program that provides free exams for
eligible individuals with diabetes.
Diabetes also contributes to foot problems, and free foot
screenings are available for eligible individuals with diabetes
through the Foot Care Aware program. Foot examinations by a
podiatrist are important for early detection of diabetes-related
problems that could lead to amputation.
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"People with diabetes can prevent or delay the progression of
complications through changes in lifestyle, by practicing
goal-oriented management of blood glucose, lipids and blood
pressure, receiving diabetes self-management education, eating
healthy foods, increasing physical activity, maintaining a healthy
body weight, and receiving recommended eye and foot examinations,"
said Adams.
It's estimated that more than 18 million people in the U.S. have
diabetes, and more than a million people are newly diagnosed each
year. Factors that contribute to adults developing diabetes include
obesity, sedentary lifestyle and age.
Diabetes is the fifth-deadliest disease in the nation. It's
estimated that 3 million people in Illinois are at risk for
developing diabetes, but research has shown that a proper diet and
exercise are effective in preventing and controlling the disease.
In Illinois, Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes account for nearly $7.3
billion in total direct health care and indirect costs every year.
It is estimated that the direct medical care costs per person per
year with diabetes is 4.3 times higher than for the person without
diabetes.
World Diabetes Day proclamation:
WHEREAS, diabetes
has reached epidemic proportions in the United States. In Illinois
alone, more than 778,000 adults (age 18 and older) have diagnosed
diabetes. An additional 260,000 adults may have undiagnosed
diabetes, and approximately 3 million Illinois residents are at
increased risk for developing type 2 diabetes due to increasing
obesity and sedentary lifestyle; and
WHEREAS, type 2
diabetes can be prevented in those at high risk by changes in
lifestyle with improved diet, increased physical activity, and/or
modest weight loss; and
WHEREAS, diabetes
is a chronic, debilitating and costly disease associated with severe
complications that pose great risks and loss for our families. It is
important to recognize that these complications may be delayed,
prevented or decreased in severity through goal-oriented management
of blood glucose, lipids and blood pressure, receiving diabetes
self-management education, ensuring proper food intake and physical
activity to help achieve target values, maintaining a healthy body
weight, and receiving recommended eye and foot examinations; and
WHEREAS, blood
pressure control reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease among
persons with diabetes by 33% to 50% and the risk of microvascular
complications (eye, kidney, and nerve diseases) by approximately
33%, detection and treatment diabetic eye disease can reduce the
development of severe vision loss by an estimated 50% to 60%,
detection and treatment early diabetic kidney disease can reduce the
decline in kidney function by 30% to 70%, improved control of blood
lipids can reduce cardiovascular complications by 20% to 50%, and
comprehensive foot care programs can reduce amputation rates by 45%
to 85%; and
WHEREAS, increasing
community awareness of risk factors associated with the development
of type 2 diabetes and symptoms of uncontrolled diabetes will
increase the likelihood that individuals will seek and receive
treatment and education before developing the disease or serious
complications:
THEREFORE, I, Rod
R. Blagojevich, Governor of the State of Illinois, do hereby
proclaim November 14, 2007 as WORLD DIABETES DAY in Illinois.
[Text from
Illinois
Department of Human Services news release
received from the
Illinois Office of Communication and Information] |
