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The media is touting a new study claiming global warming could be, at least in part, to blame for the diabetes epidemic sweeping the globe.

When it gets warmer, there is higher incidence of diabetes, Lisanne Blauw, a Ph.D. candidate at the Netherlands-based Einthoven Laboratory and the studys lead author, told The Huffington Post Tuesday.

Its important to realize global warming has further effects on our health, not only on the climate, Blauw said.

Blauw and her colleagues wrote the diabetes incidence rate in the USA and prevalence of glucose intolerance worldwide increase with higher outdoor temperature based on a meta-analysis of 14 years of data on diabetes and temperature in U.S. states.

Researchers hypothesize the global increase in temperature contributes to the current type 2 diabetes epidemic since warmer weather could inhibit brown adipose tissue (BAT) that turns food into energy for the body.

That could reduce the bodys ability to metabolize glucose, making Type 2 diabetes more likely.

Hot weather can be more difficult for people with diabetes, Mona Sarfaty, director of the Consortium on Climate Change and Health, told Popular Science.

The heat keeps people from being active, which means they expend less calories, which can lead to more weight gain, Sarfaty said. Also, people with diabetes often have kidney problems. Dehydrationwhich comes with heatcan worsen kidney problems when people are dehydrated.

HuffPo, of course, mentioned climate scientists declared 2016 the hottest year on record.

On the basis of our results, a 1C rise in environmental temperature would account for over 100000 new diabetes cases per year in the USA alone, given a population of nearly 322 million people in 2015, Blauw and her colleagues wrote.

Sounds terrifying, until you get into the data. Blauw and her colleagues even state that causality between temperature and diabetes cant be drawn from their meta-analysis.

The associative design of our study does not allow us to draw conclusions on causality, the researchers wrote.

Also, the way the study measured diabetes prevalence is based on self-reported surveys collected by the U.S. government. That survey asks people if a doctor told them they had diabetes in the last year it does not get actual diagnosis data from medical professionals.

Blauws study examines self-reported diabetes in the U.S.from 1996 to 2009, but right at the beginning of the study period medical professionals relaxed the definition of what constitutes diabetes.

The National Institutes of Health noted in 1998 that these changes are likely to lead to an increase in the prevalence of diagnosed diabetes as it would become practically much easier to detect the large number of people whose disease is currently undiagnosed.

On a more basic level, though, Blauws meta-analysis masks a confounding phenomenon. Many states actually showed a decrease in diabetes incidence rate as temperatures rose.

How can warm weather cause more incidents diabetes in South Carolina, but fewer in Louisiana? Not all researchers agreed with the studys findings.

I think calorie consumption and weight are probably the biggest by a country mile, Adrian Vella, an endocrinologist who was not involved in the new study, told CNN.

I think the general message always should be that association studies do not actually imply causation, Vella said.

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Media Touts A New Study Blaming Diabetes Epidemic On Global Warming - Daily Caller

MARIANNA, Fla. -

On the heels of 'Diabetes Alert Day' next Tuesday, Jackson County Health officials want to make residents more aware of the diabetes epidemic facing this nation.

The Florida Department of Health in Jackson County and the county's University of Florida Extension Office are offering free diabetes prevention classes at the Jackson County Library in Marianna.

"We're at about a 50 percent for individuals diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes," said Jackson County FDOH Senior Human Services Program Specialist, Mary Gurganus.

Lifestyle coaches Marie Arick and Mary Gurganus started the 'Type Two Diabetes Prevention' program a month ago.

Some of the program's goals include increasing physical fitness recommended by the Center for Disease Control (CDC).

"The program goals are to lose five to seven percent of your current body weight to achieve a healthier weight and then to increase physical activity," said Gurganus.

"It worked to our benefit for us to be able to partner so that we would always have someone available to be able to support these people that come in to the community to participate," added Arick.

The year-long session also includes dietary tips.

"Those small lessons have a huge impact. And if you go home and you apply just a portion of each lesson, you gain a great benefit," said Arick.

"We want everyone to be able to sustain the lifestyle changes that they've chose for continued success," said Gurganus.

Both lifestyle coaches said the partnership will better serve the county.

"We'd like to keep those rates as low as possible and have those individuals with pre-diabetes not progress to diabetes," said Gurganus.

Arick and Gurganus said the American Diabetes Association awarded them $3,500 in grants towards the program.

Residents can call the UF Extension Office at 850-9620, or the Florida Department of Health in Jackson County at 850-526-2412.

The rest is here:
Jackson County Health Offficials Offer Diabetes Prevention - My Panhandle

Diabetes researchers discover way to expand potent regulatory cells Science Daily The findings involve thymic regulatory T cells, a type of white blood cell that modulates the immune system and prevents autoimmune diseases such as Type 1 diabetes. The finding -- showing that so-called Tregs can be frozen at birth and later ... and more »

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Diabetes researchers discover way to expand potent regulatory cells - Science Daily

Photo: Donald Iain Smith, Getty Images/Flickr RF

Click ahead to view the healthiest cities in Texas, according to WalletHub.

Click ahead to view the healthiest cities in Texas, according to WalletHub.

Texas is home to four of the least healthy cities in the U.S., according to a new list from WalletHub.

Click through the slideshow to see how 16 Texas cities stacked up against one another.

Texas is home to four of the least healthy cities in the U.S., according to a new list from WalletHub.

Click through the slideshow to see how 16 Texas cities stacked up against one another.

Health Care Rank: 117 Food Rank: 150 Fitness Rank: 143 Green Space Rank: 145

Health Care Rank: 117 Food Rank: 150 Fitness Rank: 143 Green Space Rank: 145

Health Care Rank: 43 Food Rank: 146 Fitness Rank: 149 Green Space Rank: 127

Health Care Rank: 43 Food Rank: 146 Fitness Rank: 149 Green Space Rank: 127

Health Care Rank: 130 Food Rank: 143 Fitness Rank: 133 Green Space Rank: 132

Health Care Rank: 130 Food Rank: 143 Fitness Rank: 133 Green Space Rank: 132

13. El Paso (139 overall)Health Care Rank: 116 Food Rank: 137 Fitness Rank: 117 Green Space Rank: 124

13. El Paso (139 overall)Health Care Rank: 116 Food Rank: 137 Fitness Rank: 117 Green Space Rank: 124

Health Care Rank: 84 Food Rank: 112 Fitness Rank: 115 Green Space Rank: 142

Health Care Rank: 84 Food Rank: 112 Fitness Rank: 115 Green Space Rank: 142

Health Care Rank: 106 Food Rank: 91 Fitness Rank: 108 Green Space Rank: 146

Health Care Rank: 106 Food Rank: 91 Fitness Rank: 108 Green Space Rank: 146

Health Care Rank: 88 Food Rank: 138 Fitness Rank: 121 Green Space Rank: 82

Health Care Rank: 88 Food Rank: 138 Fitness Rank: 121 Green Space Rank: 82

Health Care Rank: 87 Food Rank: 103 Fitness Rank: 114 Green Space Rank: 138

Health Care Rank: 87 Food Rank: 103 Fitness Rank: 114 Green Space Rank: 138

Health Care Rank: 86 Food Rank: 97 Fitness Rank: 100 Green Space Rank: 129

Health Care Rank: 86 Food Rank: 97 Fitness Rank: 100 Green Space Rank: 129

Health Care Rank: 104 Food Rank: 67 Fitness Rank: 118 Green Space Rank: 134

Health Care Rank: 104 Food Rank: 67 Fitness Rank: 118 Green Space Rank: 134

Health Care Rank: 90 Food Rank: 83 Fitness Rank: 144 Green Space Rank: 105

Health Care Rank: 90 Food Rank: 83 Fitness Rank: 144 Green Space Rank: 105

Health Care Rank: 63 Food Rank: 130 Fitness Rank: 58 Green Space Rank: 113

Health Care Rank: 63 Food Rank: 130 Fitness Rank: 58 Green Space Rank: 113

Health Care Rank: 81 Food Rank: 62 Fitness Rank: 106 Green Space Rank: 114

Health Care Rank: 81 Food Rank: 62 Fitness Rank: 106 Green Space Rank: 114

Health Care Rank: 103 Food Rank: 72 Fitness Rank: 111 Green Space Rank: 99

Health Care Rank: 103 Food Rank: 72 Fitness Rank: 111 Green Space Rank: 99

Health Care Rank: 30 Food Rank: 21 Fitness Rank: 56 Green Space Rank: 33

Health Care Rank: 30 Food Rank: 21 Fitness Rank: 56 Green Space Rank: 33

Health Care Rank: 9 Food Rank: 37 Fitness Rank: 24 Green Space Rank: 42

Health Care Rank: 9 Food Rank: 37 Fitness Rank: 24 Green Space Rank: 42

San Antonio launches new campaign to fight diabetes and obesity

In the battle against diabetes and obesity two health scourges that are rampant in Bexar County the citys health department just started a new campaign centered on healthy eating.

The San Antonio Metropolitan Health Districts Viva Health! nutrition education drive aims to blanket the city with information on what constitutes a nourishing diet, and how individuals and families can go about replacing bad meals with good ones, in the easiest, most cost-effective ways possible.

It is based on three simple messages:

Fill half your plate with fruits and vegetables, every meal, every day

For portion control, use a smaller plate think salad plate

Drink water, not sugary drinks

The education push aims to reverse statistics that show nearly 11 percent of Bexar County adults were diagnosed with diabetes in 2015. That data includes only those whove been told by a doctor they had the disease, so the actual number is likely much higher, said Metro Health officials. More than one-third of adults in Bexar County were classified as obese in 2015. Obesity, unhealthy on its own, is also a risk factor for diabetes, which carries a host of serious health complications, including kidney failure, blindness and stroke.

At a news conference announcing the new campaign, Mayor Ivy Taylor said the program fits in perfectly with the Mayors Fitness Council, which aims to make San Antonio one of the healthiest and most active cities in the nation. Taylor told of her own struggle in convincing her 13 year-old daughter and husband both meat and potatoes fans to choose healthier foods.

Sometimes I get home late after dinner and I find the remnants of fast-food meals in the kitchen, she said. Its a common refrain for me at home, Eat some fruit with that! Get some apple sauce or mandarin oranges!

Many neighborhoods in San Antonio continue to struggle with access to nourishing food, Taylor said, especially high-poverty areas. The new campaign the tag line is eat well, to feel great should help with that, she said.

Metro Health, in partnership with the San Antonio Food Bank, the Culinary Education for Families (CHEF) program and other community groups, plans to conduct a marketing campaign using the visual image of a plate with the right proportion of fruits, vegetables, grains and protein. Metro Healths WIC and Healthy Neighborhoods program will provide nutrition classes and community outreach using the image and the three core messages.

The Mayors Fitness Council plans to promote the message within its programs, such as including it within material provided to physicians offices in underserved areas and in tool kits to faith-based organizations. The CHEF program, an innovative cooking school founded by the Goldsbury Foundation and the Childrens Hospital of San Antonio, is co-developing a web-based and hard-copy interactive meal planning tool that uses the image and the core messages. The online tool will link users to simple and affordable recipes on the CHEF website.

The food banks Mobile Mercado is going to help food-insecure residents meet the daily goal of healthy eating proportions, by providing education campaign materials during their community nutrition and cooking classes across the county, said Michael Guerra, spokesman for the organization.

Colleen Bridger, in her third week as the new director of Metro Health, said shes starting to understand the challenges San Antonio faces in terms of chronic diseases like obesity and diabetes.

There are many contributing factors, but how we eat is a key issue, she said. There are challenging circumstances and environments that make the healthy choice not an easy choice. This campaign gives us the tools we need to really address the problem.

mstoeltje@express-news.net

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San Antonio launches new campaign to fight diabetes and obesity - mySanAntonio.com