Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez on Latino Diabetes Awareness Day (En Español)

In any Latino neighborhood across the nation it would be almost impossible to find a family that has not been personally affected by diabetes, despite the wide diversity of these communities and the number of countries of origin they represent. More than three million Hispanic adults have been diagnosed with diabetes nationwide and an additional two million are estimated to be living with undiagnosed diabetes. Another twelve million Hispanic Americans have pre-diabetes, a condition in which the blood sugar level is higher than normal but not yet in the range for diabetes.

New York City, where the prevalence of diabetes has more than doubled over the past 10 years, represents ground zero of the Latino diabetes crisis. More than 300,000 Hispanic adults in New York City have diabetes, representing a prevalence rate (13%) that is more than twice that of whites. In Latino neighborhoods like East Harlem and the South Bronx, almost 20% of the adult population has diabetes. Latino children also have the highest rates of obesity in the city, suggesting they are likely to experience the most significant increase in diabetes in the decades to come. In sum, the diabetes epidemic represents a state of health emergency for the Latino community.

As a response to this grave challenge, Mount Sinai, with the support of the Hispanic Federation, is launching a public education campaign that is long overdue: Latino Diabetes Awareness Day (LDAD).

LDAD will consist of a Latino diabetes public education campaign focused on early detection, prevention and proper care. It will engage and connect policy makers, health professionals, activists, the media and the community at large. We propose to use the midpoint of National Diabetes Awareness Month, November 15th, as a springboard for the campaign. The day itself will include a press conference and community briefing held on the Mount Sinai campus, marking the launch of key elements of the public education campaign.

To learn more about Diabetes Awareness at Mount Sinai, please visit: http://www.facebook.com/mountsinainyc?sk=app_182749561757277&app_data=page-1

Please visit The Mount Sinai Hospital's Hispanic Initiatives: http://www.mountsinai.org/about-us/hispanic-initiatives

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez
• Latino Diabetes Awareness
• latino
• mount sinai
• nyc
• diabetes