Public Health Advocacy Fact Sheet for Diabetes

Part 1

DIABETES

Definition of the Issue

Diabetes is a chronic condition that affects the body's ability to process blood sugar. Type 1 diabetes, also known as insulin-dependent diabetes, is characterized by the body's inability to produce insulin. Type 2 diabetes is characterized by the bodys inability to properly use insulin. In both cases, glucose builds up in the blood, leading to high blood sugar levels.

According to the American Diabetes Association (2018), 10% or approximately 30 million people have diabetes in the U.S. 3 million of those with diabetes are children, which is another 10%--a huge number. In fact, diabetes is among the top ten leading causes of death in America, sitting at number 7 on the list (American Diabetes Association, 2018). Sugar and poor diet/exercise are among the top reasons for diabetes (Sami et al., 2017). Sugar consumption has risen dramatically in the US in direct proportion to the rise in diabetes and diabetes-related illnesses (Bray et al., 2004). As Bray et al. (2004) point out, sugar consumption between 1970 and 1990 in the US rose by 1000%. This puts a considerable amount of pressure on the body, which has to work harder to process all that sugar (mainly consumed in the form of high fructose corn syrup) (Stanhope et al., 2015).

Diabetes is thus a major public health problem because it can lead to a number of serious health complications, including heart disease, stroke, kidney damage, and nerve damage. Diabetes is also a leading cause of blindness and amputations. People with diabetes need to carefully manage their condition through diet, exercise, and medication in order to avoid these complications.

Type 2 diabetes is the more common type, and is recognized as a complex chronic disease with multifaceted etiology. Its rising prevalence is linked to numerous factors, including obesogenic diets, physical inactivity and urbanization. Structural factors such as poverty and poor education can exacerbate the problem. For instance, lack of access to healthy food options and safe spaces for physical activity disproportionately affects low-income populations and contributes to the social gradient in diabetes risk. In addition, living in urban areas has been linked to increased exposure to air pollution and noise which can lead to stress and further impair insulin sensitivity. Together, these findings suggest that the political, social and economic context play an important role in the development of type 2 diabetes. By better understanding these upstream structural factors, we can develop more targeted interventions to prevent the disease.

Goals/Objectives

What I hope to accomplish with my fact sheet: raise awareness about how healthy diet and exercise help to prevent diabetes. My advocacy goal with regard to diabetes is promoting healthy diet and exercise through an increase in health literacy. This is because making healthy choices can help to prevent type 2 diabetes, and it can also help those who already have the disease to manage their symptoms (Davis, 2008). Exercise, for example, helps to keep blood sugar levels under control. And eating a healthy diet helps to maintain a healthy weight, which is an important factor in managing diabetes.

Furthermore, by promoting healthy diet and exercise, advocates can hope to encourage people to make sustainable lifestyle changes that will have a positive impact on their overall health. In other words, an advocate is working to raise awareness about how making small changes in diet and exercise can have a big impact on diabetes prevention and management. And by raising awareness one is increasing health literacy about an important topic. The more that the public is aware of how a healthy diet and regular exercise can help to prevent diabetes, the better they will be in terms of deterring this public health problem.

Target Audience

The target audience...

…are talking more about this issue or if they are just ignoring it on their platforms. I want the study by Davis (2008) to be better known, so I will be sharing that on social media as well.

Part 2

DIABETES FACT SHEET

Diabetes Kills but Can be Controlled and Prevented

Summary

Diabetes is a chronic health problem that occurs when the body cannot produce or properly use insulin, a hormone that regulates blood sugar levels. According to the American Diabetes Association, diabetes affects 30 million Americans, or about 10% of the population, with 3 million being children. The majority of people with diabetes have type 2 diabetes, which is marked by high blood sugar levels resulting from insulin resistance or the bodys inability to produce enough insulin. However, studies have shown that reduced sugar consumption, diet, and regular exercise can help to prevent, control and even reverse symptoms and signs of diabetes (Davis, 2008; Flynn et al., 2015; Stanhope et al., 2015).

Facts

Diabetes is among the top ten leading causes of death in America, sitting at number 7

Diabetes is thus a major public health problem because it can lead to a number of serious health complications, including:

heart disease,

stroke,

kidney damage, and

nerve damage

Consumption of sugar/high fructose corn syrup is a major contributor to dabetes (Stanhope et al., 2015)

Through healthy diet and exercise, diabetes can be controlled, prevented and reversed (Davis, 2008)

If left unaddressed, the complications due to diabetes are numerous

Argument

Action needs to be taken to promote and support healthy dieting and exercise in the American population. Otherwise, this country will continue to struggle with diabetes and with the epidemic that is now the problem of obesity, particularly among childrenwhich sets them up for health struggles all through adulthood. States need funding for parks and health literacy promotion, preventive health strategies, and healthy diets in food deserts.

Where to Go…