Diabetes News
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May 2024 ![]()
Diabetes News You Can Use is a free news bulletin of the Texas Department of State Health Services. It is compiled by the Diabetes Prevention and Control Program, and highlights information and news related to diabetes.
Spotlight
The New York Times recently published an article titled “Diabetes is Fueling an Amputation Crisis for Men in San Antonio,” which featured Julius Hunter, Senior Management Coordinator of the Diabetes Program at San Antonio Metropolitan Health District (SAMHD), a Diabetes Prevention and Control Program Partner.
The article focuses on high rates of diabetes and diabetes-related amputations in San Antonio compared to the entire state of Texas. It also explores driving factors and interventions. Hunter provides Texas-specific insights on why diabetes is a prevalent issue in the San Antonio area, and what the team at SAMHD are doing to combat the issue. Highlights include a focus on diabetes and men’s health, providing Diabetes Self-Management classes, and Diabetes Prevention classes to the community.
Programs in Texas
Happy Kitchen/ La Cocina Alegre
Happy Kitchen/ La Cocina Alegre, offered by the Sustainable Food Center, is a free 6-week workshop in central Texas that teaches cooking and nutrition classes, and provides educational resources. The Sustainable Food Center offers these workshops in English and Spanish to help individuals understand their dietary needs and cooking skills, so they can make healthy and affordable food choices. For more information about this program and to register, visit the Happy Kitchen/ La Cocina Alegre webpage.
Salud y Vida is a program offered by the UTHealth School of Public Health Brownsville Regional Campus to help uninsured adults or adults with Medicare or Medicaid who have uncontrolled diabetes. The program runs for 12 months and offers participants access to a community health worker, classes on how to control diabetes, glucometer and test strips, exercise classes, A1c exams, incentives, and support groups. For more information about this program and to register, visit the Salud y Vida webpage.
Diabetes News & Resources
American Diabetes Association and American Heart Association – Questions to Ask Your Doctor
The American Heart Association (AHA) has partnered with the American Diabetes Association to create the video “Questions to Ask Your Doctor”. The video is designed to help people reduce their risk of heart disease and diabetes by asking their doctor four important questions. The video is concise and only takes about one and a half minutes to watch. The webpage also has a Discussion Guide and a Shared-Decision Making Guide for people to print out and take to their next office visit with their doctor.
Nemours Children’s Health – TeensHealth: What is Diabetes?
Nemours Children’s Health has a webpage dedicated to helping teens learn about Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes. This webpage covers different topics including a diabetes overview, treatments, how to manage school and sports with diabetes, getting tested for diabetes, mental health, and eating smart. All topics are available in English and Spanish.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – Eating Well
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has a webpage dedicated to managing blood sugar through eating well. The webpage has numerous resources on how to create a diabetes meal plan and grocery shopping list, reading food labels, eating out, carb counting, and diabetes and kidney disease.
The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases has a webpage that features a “game plan” on how to prevent Type 2 diabetes. The plan covers goal setting, physical activity, progress tracking, talking to your healthcare team, and how to get support for lifestyle change.
Journal Articles
Waking Up to the Importance of Sleep in Type 2 Diabetes Management: A Narrative Review
February 2024 – Diabetes Care
The guidelines for Type 2 diabetes from the American Diabetes Association and the European Association for the Study of Diabetes now include sleep as an important factor for good health, together with physical activity and diet. This article explores the evidence that supports the inclusion of sleep, focusing on how the amount, quality, and timing of sleep affect glycemia, cardiovascular risk, and mortality.
February 2024 - Diabetes: A Journal of the American Diabetes Association
The ability to recognize and integrate sensory cues originating from both within and outside the body is critical for regulating metabolic processes, such as food intake and energy balance. Recent animal studies suggest that targeting specific neural pathways involved in this integration could offer innovative approaches for treating obesity and type 2 diabetes. This article explores these pathways and their potential for developing new weight loss therapies.
Other Diabetes Education Opportunities and Events
Webinars
The Taking Control of Your Diabetes (TCOYD) organization is offering a free recorded webinar on how to budget for diabetes medications and diabetes care supplies.
Compassionate Communication to Reengage People With Diabetes in DSMES
The CDC has a free recorded webinar that offers insight on how to deliver care to people with diabetes that is compassionate, understanding, and patient-centered.
The American Diabetes Association’s Standards of Care in Diabetes – 2024
KnowDiabetesByHeart, a collaboration between the ADA and AHA, offers a free webinar on 2024 Standards of Care updates and their impact on clinical care for type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and chronic kidney disease.
Events
American Association of Clinical Endocrinology 2024 Meeting
The American Association of Clinical Endocrinology (AACE) will be hosting its annual meeting May 9-11 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The conference will focus on diabetes and diabetes technology, nutrition and obesity, bone and parathyroid, cardiometabolic and lipids management, and more. To register, please visit the AACE2024 website.
Association of Diabetes Care and Education Specialist 2024 Conference
The Association of Diabetes Care and Education Specialist (ADCES) will be hosting their annual conference August 9th-12th in New Orleans, Louisiana. The conference will focus on diabetes care, education, and technology. To register, please visit the ADCES24 website. The conference is offering an on-demand option for those who are not able to make it in person.
FAQ
Q: What are the risk factors for Type 2 Diabetes?
A: The CDC’s list of risk factors for type 2 diabetes includes: having prediabetes, being overweight, are not physically active at least 3 times a week, have had gestational diabetes, 45 years of age or older, having an immediate family member with diabetes, or are African American, Hispanic or Latino, American Indian, or Alaskan Native. If you believe you are at high risk for type 2 diabetes, talk to your doctor to get tested and learn ways how you can prevent type 2 diabetes.
Q: What is the Diabetes Plate Method?
A: The Diabetes Plate Method, created by the ADA, is a way to create healthy meals to help manage blood sugar. These meals aim to contain a healthy portion of vegetables, protein, and carbohydrates without having to calculate or weigh the food. For more information on the Diabetes Plate Method, please visit the ADA Diabetes Food Hub webpage.
Feedback
For any questions or feedback regarding our newsletter, or ideas for future newsletter topics, please email the Diabetes Prevention and Control Program at diabetes@dshs.texas.gov.
Past Issues
(All past issues are PDF documents.)
Feb 2022 | May 2022 | August 2022 | November 2022
Feb 2021 | May 2021 | August 2021 | Nov 2021 |
Jan 2020 | Feb 2020 | March 2020 | April 2020 | May 2020 | June 2020
July 2020 | Aug 2020 | Sept 2020 | Oct 2020 | Nov 2020
The articles and hyperlinks to external websites appearing in Diabetes News You Can Use are intended to be informational and do not represent an endorsement by the Texas Department of State Health Services. Other websites may not be accessible to people with disabilities. For more information about any of the items listed, please contact the sponsoring organization directly.