World Diabetes Day brings attention to an issue whose importance only continues to grow in the Rio Grande Valley and across the world.
In 2015, about 415 million people were living with the disease. By 2040, that number is expected to reach 642 million, according to the International Diabetes Federation.
Many people live with the disease and go a long time without knowing they have diabetes. But up to 70 percent of type 2 diabetes cases are preventable, according to the IDF.
In the U.S., about $245 billion is spent on diabetes care a year. Indirect costs include the $20.8 billion lost due to reduced productivity at work, and $21.6 billion lost due to someone’s inability to work as a result of the disease.
At the World Diabetes Day Health Fair at Proyecto Juan Diego, local organizations got together to educate the public on preventive steps they could take to avoid diabetes and learn how to manage the disease if they already have it.
In the Rio Grande Valley, statistics show one in three people is diagnosed with diabetes, said Guadalupe Castro, cooperative extension program 4H Agent with Prairie View A&M University.
“Right now, we are seeing more childhood diabetes, and I’ve seen someone as young as fifth grade develop diabetes, which is why … It’s important to teach the dangers of eating too much fast food, or eating too much sugar, and it is never too early for people to start being healthy,” Castro said.
Developing healthy eating habits is crucial, Castro said.
Replacing half of the plate with veggies, practicing portion control, and becoming aware of unhealthy eating habits are some things a person can do to have better eating habits.
But there is a difference between healthy eating habits and going on a diet. Progress can start with replacing two bags of potato chips with one and a bag of carrots, but quitting junk food cold turkey will be difficult.
“When people get into a diet mentality – something like that is unrealistic – you might be able to pull it off for a week or two, but you’ll slowly go back to your old ways,” Castro said. “Be more conscious. … It doesn’t have to be drastic change, it can be one thing at a time.”
At Castro’s booth, children took turns riding the bicycle on display to power the blender. Their reward was a savory and healthy smoothie.
That little demonstration was to emphasize the importance of exercise. Coupled with better eating habits, the two are key to a true healthy lifestyle.
If an individual can work their way up to 150 minutes of moderate exercise and 75 minutes of intensive exercise for the week (or a combination of the two), the health impacts can be significant, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
As a result, people are able to control their weight, reduce their rate of cardiovascular disease, reduce their rate of some cancers, strengthen their bones and muscles, improve their mental health and moods, and reduce the risk of diabetes, according to the CDC.
Proyecto Juan Diego, a nonprofit started by Sister Phyllis Peters, was created to address the health needs of the community.
“If we get them out to do some healthy activities, we also get the kids involved. The more we reach, the more are able to go back and get into the families,” Peters said.
The organization offers daily Zumba classes at 8 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Once people see the results of their progress, they start to feel so much better, Peters said.
“They start to realize they had more life in them than they ever thought they had,” Peters said.
Diabetes
