Category Archives: Diabetes

A new study is the first to look at diabetes diagnosis trends in America's youth. Video provided by Newsy Newslook

The rate at which America's kids are diagnosed with diabetes is climbing and researchers don't know why.(Photo: AndreyPopov, Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The rate at which America's kids are diagnosed with diabetes is climbing and researchers don't know why.

A first-ever study of new diabetes diagnoses of U.S. youth under age 20 found both Types 1 and 2 diabetes surged from 2002-2012.

The diagnosis of new cases of Type 2 diabetes, associated with obesity, increased about 5% each year from 2002 to 2012, the study said, while new cases of Type 1, the most common form for young people, went up about 2% every year.

The National Institutes of Health, which funded the study along with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said the cause of the rise is "unclear."

"These findings lead to many more questions," explained Dr. Barbara Linder, senior advisor for childhood diabetes research at NIH's National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. "The differences among racial and ethnic groups and between genders raise many questions. We need to understand why the increase in rates of diabetes development varies so greatly and is so concentrated in specific racial and ethnic groups."

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The study, published Friday in theNew England Journal of Medicine,showed higher rates of diabetes diagnoses among minorities. Type 2 diabetes, which the CDC stated makes up about 90% to 95% of diagnosed diabetes cases, rose by 8.5% in Asian Americans ages 10-19. Blacks in the same age group saw a 6.3% increase, followed by a 3.1% bump in Hispanicsand whites at fewer than a 1%increase.

Hispanics saw the biggest rate increase of Type 1 diabetes with a 4.2% increase, followed by blacks at 2.2% and whites at 1.2%

In terms of gender, girls and women 10-19 saw a 6.2% increase in Type 2 diabetes, while men and boys of the same age experienced a 3.7% increase. Across all age groups, Type 1 diabetes increased 2.2% in males and 1.4% in females.

CDC epidemiologistDr. Giuseppina Imperatore said those who developdiabetes at a young age are at risk ofdeveloping complications from the disease earlier, loweringtheir quality of life, shorteninglife expectancy and increasing health care costs.

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Diabetes is on the rise in America's kids and experts don't know why - USA TODAY

Last fall, Medtronic (NYSE:MDT) won FDA approval of a closed-loop system that automatically tracks blood sugar levels and delivers insulin as necessary. The system is being heralded as a major advance in treating diabetes, because it significantly reduces the need for finger sticks and insulin shots. Will this new device be a hit?

There are about 1.25 million Americans with Type 1 diabetes, and for these patients, managing their blood sugar levels can seem like a full-time job.

Image source: Getty Images.

Type 1 diabetes patients must regularly check their blood sugar levels with finger sticks, and then dose themselves with insulin when blood sugar levels require it. Unfortunately, this scattershot approach to managing the disease results in many patients failing to maintain appropriate blood glucose levels, especially at night, or when exercising. Because time spent outside of desired blood sugar ranges can accelerate disease progression and lead to life-threatening conditions, inadequately controlled diabetes remains a big problem.

Fortunately, medical device makers have developed new technology like insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitors that help patients better control their disease, however, until now, there wasn't a FDA-approved closed-loop system for the monitoring and dosing of insulin available.

The FDA gave Medtronics MiniMed 670G a green light after trial results showed that it helped patients remain within their desired blood sugar range over a three-month period. The trial included bothadults and children with Type 1 diabetes, and A1C levels fell from 7.7% to 7.1% in children and from 7.3% to 6.8% in adults. There also was a 44% decline in time spent with blood glucose below 70 mg/dL and a 40% decline in time spent with dangerous hypoglycemia, or levels below 50 mg/dL.

Image source: Medtronic.

The MiniMed 670G uses sensors to automatically monitor blood glucose levels every five minutes and it uses a pump to automatically administer insulin as it's needed. A daily finger-stick is still required to calibrate the system, and the insulin pump needs to be refilled every few days, but the system still significantly reduces the treatment burden on patients.

The MiniMed 670G system includes a sensor that's attached to the body and that must be changed weekly, an insulin pump that's worn on the waist, and an infusion patch that connects to the pump to administer insulin via a catheter.

Medtronic's device is an important advance in automating diabetes treatment, but it's not approved for use in Type 1 diabetes patients who are younger than 14 (yet), it still requires some patient involvement, and it's arguably a bit bulkier of a solution for active patients, who may prefer wireless pumps, such as Insulet's (NASDAQ:PODD) Omnipod.

Omnipod is atubeless insulin management system that delivers insulin for up to three days using a wireless programming device. Oftentimes, patients pair Omnipod up with a continuous glucose monitor, such as those made byDexCom(NASDAQ:DXCM), to provide even better control of their disease.

Medtronic only began shipping the MiniMed 670G to patients recently, so the verdict isn't in on whether it will win away consumers from these other solutions. If it does, then it could be an important new source of revenue for Medtronic. However, that tailwind could only be temporary, because the MiniMed 670G may face stiff competition soon.Insulet, for example, is working on its own closed-loop system that incorporates DexCom's sensors, and if trials are successful, its system could be available as soon as next year. Similar systems are also being developed by Tandem and Bigfoot Biomedical, so you'll want to pay attention to their progress, too.

Todd Campbell has no position in any stocks mentioned.His clients may have positions in the companies mentioned.The Motley Fool owns shares of Medtronic. The Motley Fool recommends Insulet. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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Is Medtronic's Artificial Pancreas the Next Big Thing in Diabetes? - Motley Fool

By Serena Gordon

HealthDay Reporter

WEDNESDAY, April 12, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Two new studies on diabetes deliver good and bad news, but the overall message is that the blood sugar disease remains a formidable public health burden.

The first study looked at the incidence of type 1 and type 2 diabetes in U.S. children, and uncovered this troubling trend: From 2002 to 2012, the rates for both types of diabetes increased, especially among racial and ethnic minorities.

But a bit of hope was offered up in the second study: Swedish researchers reported a drop in the incidence of heart disease and stroke in adults with both types of diabetes.

"These studies highlight our concerns about the increasing prevalence of diabetes. Every 23 seconds, another person is diagnosed with diabetes [in the United States]," said Dr. William Cefalu, chief scientific, medical and mission officer for the American Diabetes Association (ADA).

Cefalu added that the Swedish study was encouraging and shows that things are "trending in the right direction. Because of research in diabetes, we've been able to improve the lives of millions of people with diabetes around the world, but the disease is still increasing worldwide. We still have a lot of work to do."

In the United States, approximately 29 million people have diabetes, according to the ADA. The vast majority of those have type 2 diabetes. About 1.3 million people have type 1 diabetes.

In people with type 2 diabetes, the body doesn't use insulin properly. This is called insulin resistance. Insulin is a hormone that helps usher sugar from foods into the body's cells to be used as fuel. When someone has type 2 diabetes, this process doesn't work well and blood sugar levels rise. Obesity is the main risk factor for type 2 diabetes, though it's not the only factor involved in the disease.

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease. The body's immune system mistakenly attacks the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. This leaves someone with type 1 diabetes with little to no insulin. To stay alive, someone with type 1 diabetes must replace that insulin through injections.

"The specific genes and environmental/behavioral factors that cause type 2 diabetes are different than those that cause type 1 diabetes," explained Elizabeth Mayer-Davis, the author of the study on diabetes incidence in children.

Mayer-Davis and colleagues found that type 1 diabetes was increasing 1.8 percent a year. The increase was significantly larger for Hispanic children, at 4.2 percent a year. That compared with 1.2 percent for white children, the findings showed.

The factors underlying the increase aren't entirely clear, she said.

Although far fewer children have type 2 diabetes, the disease is increasing faster than type 1. Between 2002 and 2012, the rate of type 2 diabetes increased 4.8 percent a year. The annual increase in type 2 diabetes in black children was 6.3 percent. For Asian/Pacific Islanders, the yearly increase was 8.5 percent, and for Native Americans, it was almost 9 percent, the investigators found.

"The increase in incidence of type 2 diabetes is likely related primarily to the increases in overweight and obesity in youth, although this is not the only reason," said Mayer-Davis. She's a professor of nutrition and medicine at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.

The second study looked at all of the people registered in a Swedish National Database from 1998 through 2012, and followed their health through 2014. The database has nearly 37,000 people with type 1 diabetes and more than 457,000 with type 2 diabetes. These patients were compared to similar people without diabetes (the "control" group).

The researchers saw roughly a 40 percent greater reduction in heart disease and stroke in people with type 1 diabetes compared to the matched controls. In people with type 2 diabetes, there was roughly a 20 percent greater drop in heart disease and stroke compared to the control group, the study showed.

When it came to deaths during the study period, people with type 1 diabetes had similar reductions in the number of deaths compared to controls. People with type 2, however, had smaller reductions in deaths versus the control group, the researchers found.

Even with these improvements, people with either type of diabetes still have much higher overall rates of premature death and heart disease than the control groups, the study authors noted.

"We believe the changes observed in our study most likely reflect a combination of advances in clinical care for patients with diabetes," said study author Dr. Aidin Rawshani. He is from the Institute of Medicine at the University of Gothenberg in Sweden.

"Perhaps the most important is improved management of cardiovascular risk factors," he said. These risk factors include high blood pressure, abnormal cholesterol, signs of early kidney damage and poor blood sugar control. He said treatment with high blood pressure medications and cholesterol-lowering drugs likely contributed to the improvement.

Both studies were published April 13 in the New England Journal of Medicine.

WebMD News from HealthDay

SOURCES: Aidin Rawshani, M.D. and Ph.D. student, Sahlgrenska University Hospital and the Institute of Medicine at the University of Gothenberg, Sweden; Elizabeth Mayer-Davis, Ph.D., professor, nutrition and medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill; William Cefalu, M.D., chief scientific, medical and mission officer, American Diabetes Association; April 13, 2017, New England Journal of Medicine

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Both Types of Diabetes Rise in US Children - WebMD

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United to Reimburse Passengers on Flight Man Was Dragged From

United Airlines sought to quell the uproar over a man being dragged off a plane by announcing it would no longer ask police to remove passengers from full flights and would compensate customers who were on the flight when the man was removed. In an interview with ABC's "Good Morning America" aired, United parent company CEO Oscar Munoz said he felt "ashamed" watching video of the man being forced off the jet. He has promised to review the airline's passenger-removal policy. Munoz, who leads United's parent company, apologized again to Kentucky physician David Dao, his family and the other passengers who witnessed him being taken off the flight. In an effort to calm the backlash, United also announced that passengers on United Express Flight 3411 would be compensated equal to the cost of their tickets.

'Cocaine Cowboy' Arrested After 26 Years on the Run, Officials Say

One of the original 'Cocaine Cowboys' was arrested after 26 years on the run. Gustavo Falcon, who also goes by several aliases, including Augusto Falcon and "Taby," was finally captured by a team of U.S. Marshals from Miami working with U.S. Marshals in the Orlando-Kissimme area. The team focused specifically on the address of a rental property in Kissimmee, and while conducting surveillance, they saw what they thought was Falcon and his wife exit the house to go on a bike ride. When agents stopped Falcon, he had fake driver's licenses dating back to 1997, using Miami addresses, federal officials said. The 55-year-old also had fake licenses for his wife, as well as his children, who are now in their 30s, according to U.S. Marshals. Falcon did not resist the arrest and even confessed to his real identity, officials said. He was booked into the Osceola County Jail and will make his first federal court appearance Thursday.

Officer Charged With Shooting Autistic Man's Caretaker, Authorities Say

A North Miami police officer who shot the unarmed caretaker of an autistic man has been charged with attempted manslaughter, the Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office announced. Officer Jonathan Aledda also was charged with misdemeanor culpable negligence in the shooting of behavioral therapist Charles Kinsey. Aledda, a four-year veteran of the department, was arrested and was later released from Miami-Dade Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center on $6,000 bond. The criminal charges come after what officials said was a lengthy investigation by the State Attorney's Office and Florida Department of Law Enforcement into the July 2016 shooting. Kinsey, a caretaker at a home for people with mental disabilities, was lying on the ground, with his hands up in the air, next to his adult patient when he was shot in the leg by Aledda on July 18. Cellphone video captured events leading up to the shooting.

Apple Has Secret Team Working on the Holy Grail for Treating Diabetes

Apple has hired a small team of biomedical engineers to work at a nondescript office in Palo Alto, miles from corporate headquarters, CNBC reported. They are part of a super secret initiative, initially envisioned by the late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, to develop sensors that can non-invasively and continuously monitor blood sugar levels to better treat diabetes, according to three people familiar with the matter. Such a breakthrough would be a "holy grail" for life sciences. Many life sciences companies have tried and failed, as it's highly challenging to track glucose levels accurately without piercing the skin. The initiative is far enough along that Apple has been conducting feasibility trials at clinical sites across the Bay Area and has hired consultants to help it figure out the regulatory pathways, the people said.

Trans Fat Ban Linked With Fewer Heart Attacks & Strokes, Study Shows

Local bans on artery-clogging trans fats in restaurant foods led to fewer heart attacks and strokes in several New York counties, a new study suggests. The study hints at the potential for widespread health benefits from an upcoming nationwide ban, the authors and other experts say. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2015 gave the food industry until next year to eliminate artificial trans fats from American products. New York City enacted a restaurant ban on the fats in 2007 and several counties in the state did the same. Hospital admissions for heart attacks and strokes in those areas declined 6 percent starting three years after the bans, compared with counties without bans.

Comedian Charlie Murphy Dies at 57, His Publicist Says

Comedian and actor Charlie Murphy, who stepped out of his brother Eddie's shadow as a talent in his own right, has died at 57, according to his publicist. Murphy died of leukemia, publicist Domenick Nati told NBC Los Angeles. Fellow comedian Chris Rock posted a picture of Murphy on Twitter with a message of mourning: "We just lost one of the funniest most real brothers of all time. Charlie Murphy RIP." Murphy was perhaps best known as an ensemble actor in the comedy "Chappelle's Show," where he told belief-defying stories about spending time with Rick James and Prince. In the recurring segment "Charlie Murphy's True Hollywood Stories," Murphy would recount how his brother's fame brought him into the orbit of the biggest stars. His versions of the experiences, played out by him, Chappelle and others, became enduring hits. He was born in New York City.

Josh Brolin Set to Play Cable in 'Deadpool 2,' Representatives Say

Josh Brolin is expanding his comic book movie repertoire. Representatives for the actor said Brolin has been set to play the part of Cable in 20th Century Fox's "Deadpool 2" opposite lead Ryan Reynolds. Brolin also plays the supervillain Thanos in various "Avengers" movies for competing studio Disney. Michael Shannon had been widely rumored to be the top pick for the Deadpool co-star. "Deadpool" became a breakout hit in 2016, grossing over $783 million worldwide. The irreverent and very R-rated comic book film even became an unlikely awards contender late in the game with two Golden Globe nominations and a Directors Guild of America Award nomination for Tim Miller.

Published at 6:52 AM EDT on Apr 13, 2017

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Happening Today: United, 'Cocaine Cowboy,' Diabetes, Charlie Murphy - NBC New York

A diagnosis of diabetes can be scary and confusing for many people, especially with all the myths surrounding the disease and how to manage it.

But if you are one of the millions of Americans diagnosed with diabetes or pre-diabetes each year, understanding the facts can help you make positive changes and gain control over the condition so you can lead a healthier life.

The Diabetes Management Program at University Medical Center of Princeton (UMCP) helps adults and children diagnosed with diabetes learn how to live with the condition. It also provides education to enable patients to make informed lifestyle changes based on facts rather than myths.

MYTH:The most important item to watch in your diet is sugar, and if a food is sugar-free, you can eat as much as you want.

FACT:Years ago, people were advised that to prevent and control diabetes they just needed to avoid or reduce sugar in their diet. However, just because a food is low in sugar or sugar-free, it could still be high in carbohydrates. And total carbohydrates are the real culprits in raising glucose levels after you eat.

Carbohydrates include starches (such as rice, pasta, bread, potatoes, and cereals), fruits, milk and vegetables. Most vegetables are low in carbohydrates, and protein and fats have minimal or no carbohydrate. When it comes to managing diabetes, it is not enough to just avoid sugar, it is important to watch your total carbohydrate intake for meals and snacks.

Everyone is different though and the amount of carbohydrates you need varies by individual. For example, people with type 2 or pre-diabetes may need to limit or controlthe amount of carbs they eat each day, while someone with type 1 diabetes may need to match their insulin doses to how much carbohydrate they want to eat.

MYTH:You dont need to do anything if you are told you have pre-diabetes or borderline diabetes.

FACT:Not true! Pre-diabetes is defined as having fasting glucose levels between 100-125, or a hemoglobin A1c between 5.7-6.4. This is higher than normal, but right below the cut-off point for diabetes. More than 86 million American adults more than 1 out of 3 have pre-diabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

While having pre-diabetes is a risk factor for developing diabetes, you may be able to reverse the progression or delay the development for years through diet and exercise. If you are able to lose 5 to 10 percent of your weight and get at least 150 minutes of physical activity each week, you can increase your chances of keeping diabetes at bay. In addition, if you are diagnosed with pre-diabetes, it is important to follow up with your doctor and have your hemoglobin a1c levels checked every three months, and to monitor your glucose at home if necessary or desired.

MYTH:There is only one diabetic diet, or one way to eat for managing diabetes.

FACT:Also, not true! There may be general guidelines to make it easier to get started, but each person needs an individualized plan, taking into consideration their preferences, lifestyle, activity, weight, diabetes medications, and glucose levels. While one person may be able to eat three regular meals a day, another may benefit from eating three small meals and two to three snacks. Amounts of carbohydrates, fat, and calories will be different for each person as well. For someone monitoring their glucose levels at home, they can see the effects of their diet on their glucose levels and make changes accordingly. Registered dietitians, especially those who are also certified diabetes educators, can help develop a diet plan tailored to individual needs.

MYTH:If you cant exercise for 30 to 60 minutes or more a day, dont bother.

FACT:Research has shown that just 10 to 15 minute increments of exercise or activity two to three times daily or even every other day can be beneficial and reduce glucose levels, especially after meals. For people who sit most of the day, getting up and walking around for 5 minutes every 30 to 60 minutes can be beneficial as well. Also, exercise can include chair exercises, strength training and using weights, or a combination of aerobic and strength. Put simply, moving more is good for your health.

Nationally Recognized Care

There is now a wide range of effective treatments for diabetes, greatly reducing the risks of serious complications. Finding a healthy personal balance learning to control your blood sugar levels through a combination of good nutrition, exercise and often medication is key to successfully managing your diabetes.

The Diabetes Management Program at UMCP is recognized by the American Diabetes Association as a quality diabetes self-management education program that meets the National Standards for Diabetes Self-Management Education. This award is based on a rigorous clinical review process every four years to ensure high standards of diabetes care and education.

The program is staffed by a multidisciplinary team of diabetes specialists, including registered nurses and registered dietitians, who work closely with each individual patient and their physician and other healthcare providers to help effectively manage their diabetes and enjoy an improved quality of life. Services include:

Individual and group education sessions by registered nurses and dietitians

Blood glucose monitoring instruction

Community outreach programs

Diabetes care and management for pre-pregnancy/conception and during pregnancy

Medical Nutrition Therapy/nutrition education and meal planning

Professionally facilitated monthly support groups

For more information about the Diabetes Management Program at UMCP, go to http://www.princetonhcs.org or call 609-853-7890.

Sandra Byer-Lubin is a registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator with University Medical Center at Princetons Diabetes Management Program.

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HEALTH MATTERS: Busting Diabetes Myths - Packet Online

Chicago Sun-Times

Diabetes awareness, treatment need big push among minorities Chicago Sun-Times Nearly four of every 10 people in parts of Chicago's South and West Side neighborhoods have Type 2 diabetes, risking serious and even life-threatening health problems as they age. Rates of diabetes range from 17 percent to 37 percent in Chicago's South ...

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Diabetes awareness, treatment need big push among minorities - Chicago Sun-Times

New research from Finland suggests that higher blood levels of indolepropionic acid - a product of gut bacteria that is increased by a fiber-rich diet - may help to protect against type 2 diabetes.

Writing about the discovery in the journal Scientific Reports, the team - led by researchers from the University of Eastern Finland in Kuopio - suggests that it increases our understanding of the important part played by gut bacteria in the relationship between diet, metabolism, and health.

Diabetes is a disease in which the blood contains too much sugar, or glucose - a vital source of energy for the body's cells.

If uncontrolled, high blood sugar can lead to blindness, kidney failure, heart disease, stroke, and amputation of lower limbs.

Levels of blood sugar are regulated by the hormone insulin, which is made in the pancreas.

The type of diabetes that develops depends on whether the high blood glucose results from lack of insulin (type 1 diabetes) or the body's inability to use insulin (type 2 diabetes).

Type 2 diabetes is by far the most common form of diabetes around the world and largely develops from being overweight and not exercising.

Once a disease occurring only in adults, the number of children with type 2 diabetes is now on the rise.

Fast facts about diabetes

Learn more about diabetes

The global prevalence of diabetes among adults (90 percent of which is type 2 diabetes) has gone up from 4.7 percent in 1980 to 8.5 percent in 2014.

In the United States, there are more than 29 million people living with diabetes. There are also 86 million living with prediabetes, a serious condition that raises the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and other lifelong health problems.

In their study introduction, the researchers note that it is now well-known that factors such as genes, lifestyle, and diet can influence the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

However, what is less clear is what happens at the molecular level to link these factors to the disease.

The new study uses metabolomics, a relatively new technology that allows scientists to quickly assess the metabolite profiles of people.

Metabolites are molecules that cells in the body - including gut bacteria - produce as byproducts of their activity.

Using a particular tool called "nontargeted metabolomics analysis," the researchers assessed the metabolite profiles of 200 participants in the Finnish Diabetes Prevention Study who had impaired glucose tolerance and were overweight when the study began.

The participants fell into two groups. One group developed type 2 diabetes within 5 years, and the other group did not develop type 2 diabetes during the 15 years of follow-up.

When the researchers compared the metabolite profiles of the two groups, they found that what stood out was differences in levels of indolepropionic acid and certain lipid metabolites.

Further analysis suggested that having high blood levels of indolepropionic acid, a byproduct of gut bacteria, appeared to protect against developing type 2 diabetes.

Also, a diet rich in fiber and whole grain foods appears to increase levels of indolepropionic acid, which in turn raises the amount of insulin produced by the beta cells in the pancreas, note the authors.

The team confirmed the findings by looking at the link between indolepropionic acid and risk for type 2 diabetes in the data from two other studies: the Finnish Metabolic Syndrome In Men Study, and the Swedish Vsterbotten Intervention Project. These also showed that indolepropionic acid appears to protect against type 2 diabetes.

The researchers suggest that their study shows that it may be more feasible to use metabolite profiles rather than identifying the bacteria themselves (which is a more complex process) to look at links with diseases such as diabetes.

"Earlier studies, too, have linked intestinal bacteria with the risk of disease in overweight people. Our findings suggest that indolepropionic acid may be one factor that mediates the protective effect of diet and intestinal bacteria."

Corresponding author Dr. Kati Hanhineva

Learn how statins are linked to a higher risk of diabetes in older women.

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Gut bacteria compound may help to prevent type 2 diabetes - Medical News Today

Logo provided bywww.journeyawards.com

Logo provided bywww.journeyawards.com

Twenty-five patients with type 1 diabetes will be recognized with a 'Lilly Diabetes Journey Award,' during a celebration on the Deaconess Hospital campus on Thursday.

During the celebration, a patient will share his personal story during the event, and Deaconess Clinic endocrinologists will also participate in the program.

Six individuals will be recognized for 50 years of successfully managing their type 1 diabetes.

The Journey Awards ceremony will celebrate the significant journey people have taken to manage their type 1 diabetes with the help of insulin.

With friends, family, physicians, and others in attendance, recipients will be presented with a custom-engraved medal, along with a congratulatory letter signed by Lilly's President and Chief Executive Officer. The Lilly Diabetes Journey Awards program was established by Eli Lilly, grandson of Lilly's founder, Col. Eli Lilly, in 1975 to recognize individuals who have successfully managed their diabetes with the help of insulin for 10, 25, 50, or 75 years or more.

These local Journey Awards recipients will join the thousands of individuals who have received the honor since the award was first established. The celebration begins at 4:30 in Johnson Hall, which is located in the Health Sciences Building on Edgar Street on the Deaconess Hospital campus.

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Patients with Diabetes Recognized at Deaconess Hospital Campus - Tristatehomepage.com

Most of us know that eating fresh fruit and vegetables is good for our health. However, people diagnosed with diabetes may avoid fruit due to its high sugar content. New research investigates the health benefits of fresh fruit consumption among people with diabetes.

Diabetes affects more than 420 million people worldwide and more than 29 million people in the United States alone.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), diabetes caused more than 1.5 million deaths in 2012. In the U.S., diabetes is a leading cause of death, accounting for almost 80,000 yearly deaths, according to the latest statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Fresh fruit and vegetables are healthful for most of us, but people with diabetes may abstain from eating fresh fruit because of its high sugar content.

This is why a team of researchers - led by Huaidong Du of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom - decided to investigate the health effects of consuming fresh fruit in patients both with and without diabetes.

The authors were also motivated by the fact that, to their knowledge, no studies have so far investigated the long-term effects of fresh fruit consumption on the rate of diabetes or on the risk of diabetes-induced cardiovascular events.

The research was published in the journal PLOS Medicine.

The researchers examined the effects of fruit consumption on almost 500,000 people enrolled in the China Kadoorie Biobank national study. Participants were aged between 30 and 79 and lived in 10 different areas across China.

The participants were clinically followed for approximately 7 years.

During this follow-up period, 9,504 cases of diabetes were identified in participants who did not have diabetes at the beginning of the study.

Using Cox regression models, researchers analyzed the correlations with consumption of fresh fruit while also adjusting for age, sex, location, socioeconomic status, body mass index (BMI), and family history of diabetes.

In total, 18.8 percent of the participants said that they consumed fresh fruit every day, and 6.4 percent said that they never or rarely consumed them. Those who had been previously diagnosed with diabetes were three times as likely to not consume fruit than those without diabetes or with screen-detected diabetes.

The team found that people who did not have diabetes at the beginning of the study and consumed fresh fruit in high amounts had a significantly lower risk of diabetes. Additionally, those who had diabetes at the beginning of the study and consumed high amounts of fruit had a significantly lower risk of dying from any cause, as well as a lower risk of developing cardiovascular complications.

More specifically, in comparison with the other study participants, those who consumed fresh fruit daily had a 12 percent lower relative risk of developing diabetes.

Study participants who had diabetes at baseline but consumed fresh fruit more than three times per week had a 17 percent lower risk of all-cause mortality and up to a 28 percent lower risk of developing both major and minor cardiovascular complications.

"Major" cardiovascular complications refer to events that affect large blood vessels (ischemic heart disease and stroke, for instance), while "minor" refers to those affecting small blood vessels (such as kidney diseases, eye disease, and neuropathy).

In absolute terms, this means that daily fruit-consumers had a 0.2 percent decrease in their absolute risk of developing diabetes over a 5-year period, and people diagnosed with diabetes had a 1.9 percent absolute reduction in the risk of mortality from all causes.

Du and team explain the significance of these findings:

"These findings suggest that a higher intake of fresh fruit is potentially beneficial for primary and secondary prevention of diabetes. For individuals who have already developed diabetes, restricted consumption of fresh fruit, which is common in many parts of the world [...] should not be encouraged."

The study was purely observational, so no conclusions were drawn regarding causality.

Learn how legumes may lower the risk of type 2 diabetes.

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Fresh fruit may prevent diabetes and related complications - Medical News Today

April 11, 2017: A 16-year-old with Type 1 diabetes is trying to save a summer camp that means so much to her.

Mary Scott, WBIR 6:56 PM. EDT April 11, 2017

Natalie Miller (Photo: WBIR)

Natalie Miller's Type 1 diabetes requires constant care: five blood sugar tests a day, an insulin pump, counting carbohydrates and the list goes on.

While the Powell High School junior has learned to deal with the pain and management of the medical treatments, she remembers when diabetes made her feel like an outcast.

"It definitely took a toll on my self-confidence for a while. I always feel weird, even now, when my pump will go off in class and every one will turn around and look at me," explained Miller, 16.

Camp Cure is a place where she always feels accepted. Every summer, East Tennessee Children's Hospital put on the week-long day camp exclusively for kids dealing with diabetes.

Even after Miller aged out of the camp, she returned as a volunteer counselor.

"For me, it's where I can go and be with people who understand what it's like to get up at three in the morning with low blood sugar. Or understand what it's like to be irritable because you're blood sugar is high," Miller said.

This year, Children's Hospital said it made the decision to close Camp Cure after four months of consideration.

"When we were really examining it, we did not have the finances to support it this year," said Hella Ewing, Children's Hospital VP of Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer.

Camp Cure costs the hospital about $30,000 every year and is the hospital's only summer camp that does not have a financial endowment to cover costs.

Children's two other camps for children with disabilities and medical disorders, Donald M. Gally Summer Camp and Camp Eagle's Nest, have sustainable philanthropic support.

"We thought we would just take a step back, re-energize the camp, see what potential support we might be able to gain from the community and hope we can do it again next year," Ewing said.

Natalie Miller turned her disappointment from the news into action. She wrote a plea to the community to help bring back the camp next year and shared it on social media.

Read Natalie Miller's full letter below:

Let me give you a bit of background information, so you can see why this summer camp is worth the donations. My name is Natalie Miller, I'm sixteen and I've been Type 1 Diabetic for thirteen years this coming December. I was diagnosed at the age of 4, and I attended Camp Cure from the time I was five until age 12 (because that's the age limit for campers! Of course, you can become a junior staff member once you turn 13). Camp Cure was one of the only places where I felt like I fit in. The thing wasand still isthat no one understood me unless they had diabetes as well, which in Powell, is seldom and far between. Everyone understood me there, and knew the pain of having to poke my finger 4-5 times a day, take shots every time I ate and having to count carbs and measure out my food. They understand what it's like to wake up with a low blood sugar and having to muster up the energy to get up and check your blood glucose, or it being a high BG with uncontrolled thirst, urination and headaches. To say that Camp Cure was a big impact on me is an understatement; they took part in molding me into who I am today.

With that being said, we staff members always want to create a good environment for these children and to have fun and show that no disease would slow us down! These kids look up to us, and think "Wow! You can be a teenager with diabetes!" (Yes, they really say that!! Also, our staff are mainly diabetics, trained professionals... we have a team of nurses!) and they look up to us as role models, and trust that we will take great care of them and have lots of fun with them as well. At Camp Cure, we see a lot of firsts: A first finger stick, or a first insulin shot or changing a pump site, and we make a big deal about it as well, as it's such a milestone! Needles and hospital rooms and doctors are intimidating, even for me, and especially for these kids. It's such an honor to be able to witness their face once they realized that they've done something so significant on their own. This camp is so important to me, and lots of other people and kids. Don't let this year be any different from the last. We want to see new smiling faces, and we want to make an impact on these camper's lives. I know how much of a difference they made for me, and I want all of the T1D kids to know that they aren't alone in what they're going through, and we always welcome them with open arms.

Be sure to contact East Tennessee Children's Hospital for more information on how you can get involved with Camp Cure, and how you can chip in to help. Thank you!"

2017 WBIR.COM

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Teen works to save summer camp for kids with diabetes - WBIR-TV