Useful Resources
Diabetes: Widespread, Poorly Understood
October 03, 2008
As of 2007, almost 8 percent of Americans – nearly 24 million people – suffer from diabetes, a serious and chronic condition that can lead to complications such as blindness, amputations or even death, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About a quarter of them don't know they have the disease. In recent years, rising obesity rates have been linked to a striking rise in the number of Type 2 diabetes cases, particularly among children and teens. Between 5 and 10 percent of diabetics have Type 1 diabetes (sometimes called juvenile diabetes), which is caused by the body's failure to produce insulin and is not linked to obesity, according to the CDC. A third type of diabetes, gestational, can develop during pregnancy. An estimated 57 million Americans suffer from pre-diabetes--higher than normal blood glucose levels that put them at high risk of developing diabetes. Updated March 2010
Resource Links
Statistics, Trends and Research
A private information clearinghouse that promotes best practices in electronic health records, runs conferences, and issues industry research reports.
Report on efforts to curb childhood obesity, from the Institute of Medicine, September 2006, four-page summary is free.
Report on public cost of obesity in a peer-reviewed, health policy journal. Health Affairs, May 2003.
Fact sheets and national and state surveillance data, with charts.
Blogs
Newsy blog features extensive list of discussion forums.
New Jersey-based endocrinologist is medical chief of a clinical research firm, coauthor of the Diabetes Monitor Web site and monitor of Diabetes.Blog.com. He is diabetic.
Amy Tenderich, a San Francisco-based writer and diabetic, blogs about life with Type 1 diabetes, technology and policy issues. Her blog is searchable.
Monica Reinagel is Nutrition Data's chief nutritionist, a chef and an expert on the inflammatory effects of foods. Her blog is searchable. Nutrition Data is part of Condé Nast Publications.
Guidance for Consumers
Commercial magazine and Web site offer comprehensive coverage of the disease, with insights into the latest research and policy news.
CDC's recommendations on everything from breastfeeding to physical activity for girls.
ADA's tips on food management.
Kids Online interactive Web site about Type 1 diabetes aimed at children from second grade through teens. Offers file sharing and pen pal services.
A CDC educational Web site about healthy living and diabetes, geared for children from preschool to fourth grade.
FTC alerts for consumers to avoid fraudulent diabetes claims.
U.S. FDA list targets makers of questionable diabetes products with warnings for unsubstantiated claims.
People-helping-people Web site allows users to be part of a Web community and start an online journal.
The Obesity Society, which publishes the peer-reviewed journal Obesity, aims to inform clinicians, health professionals, consumers and media about obesity research.
Advocacy
This advocacy group has focused on menu labeling and often issues what some consider alarmist reports on hidden calories and chemicals in food.
AMA positions on diabetes, obesity and related issues.
ADA advocacy Web site offers searchable databases on health insurance, drivers' licenses restrictions, etc.
This advocacy group, backed by public health officials, focuses on legislation to improve childhood nutrition and combat obesity.
Public Policy
Strategic Alliance, a 13-group umbrella staffed by the Prevention Institute, works to improve food and activity environments for schoolchildren to combat obesity and diabetes.
California task force recommendations on making schools healthier and preventing obesity and diabetes.
Tips for dealing with discrimination, primarily against schoolchildren with the disease. This site is partly sponsored by pharmaceutical and consumer products firms.
Understanding the Issue
An alliance of more than 200 diabetes associations in 160 countries, partly funded by pharmaceutical companies that make drugs to treat the disease.
This data resource maintained by the National Institutes of Health contains statistics, advice for patients, and a helpful overview of diabetes and treatments.
