HHS SAYS MANY MEXICAN-AMERICAN CHILDREN ON THEIR WAY TO EARLY DIABETES

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMANS SERVICES 
From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I’m Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat.

Data on Mexican-American children indicates many are headed early toward diabetes and other health problems. Scientists at Texas Biomedical Research Institute in San Antonio examined 670 children ages 6 to 17. The researchers found a striking proportion had metabolic syndrome – warning signs of diabetes, such as belly fat and high levels of blood sugar and insulin.

Investigator Ravindranath Duggirala:

“Experiencing metabolic syndrome and related risk factors this early in life significantly increases risk of developing hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and other chronic health problems years earlier than might otherwise have been expected.”

The study in the journal Human Genetics was supported by the National Institutes of Health.

Learn more at healthfinder.gov.

HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I’m Ira Dreyfuss.

HHS INFORMATION ON DIABETES

FROM: HHS HealthBeat (August 20, 2012)
Diabetes and death

　
More people have diabetes now than ever before. People with diabetes often have other health risk factors, like obesity and high blood pressure. But data from the National Health Interview Survey shows that death rates are declining in both men and women with diabetes.

Dr. Edward Gregg is with the Division of Diabetes Translation at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"From the time period of 1997 to 2006, death rates for any cause and for cardiovascular disease in particular declined in people with diabetes."

Those with diabetes can prevent their risk of cardiovascular disease by maintaining a healthy weight, healthy cholesterol levels, and by not smoking.

The study in the journal Diabetes Care was supported by CDC and the National Institutes of Health.