How to Manage Diabetes Will Stem the Tide of Increasing Diabetes Rates, How Did the Plan Go

How to manage diabetes would be the issue to combat the rise of diabetes. Charles E. Schumer said that the rising problem from disastrous diseases linked to high blood pressure and obesity must be dealt with in all fronts: schools, at work and even on the streets. This he said after learning of the 52% diabetes increase in the Southern Tier in the last ten years.

Visiting the health care providers and administrators at the Lourdes Hospital, Schumer announced his plan to combat the disease which comprises such steps as motivating the employers to help on how to manage diabetes among the employees, regulating contents in schools' vending machines and sponsoring programs to promote the increase of physical activity.

At the Broome County, over 8% have diabetes and 60% and more are either overweight or obese which makes them a high risk to develop diabetes. The problem is of huge proportion physically, emotionally and economically. Dr. Robert Taylor said that the health care cost for those with diabetes are five more than those who do not have the disease.

Schumer said the approach to fight this disease must be more aggressive or the health care costs will be astronomical. The senator is a member of the Finance Committee at the senate so perhaps the plan will become a reality. The plan will include the following:

• Establishing a pilot program to motivate employers to give incentives or some sort of a bribe for employees to improve their health through diet, exercise and medication


• Legislation to endorse refund of costs incurred by early screening, controlling and preventing diabetes instead on the emphasis now of treating the condition
  


• Establishing a campaign to encourage awareness in children on the value of healthy lifestyles


• Setting up a prerequisite for the nutritional standards of food and drinks in schools

Needless to say, the plan was well received. What I could not find was how it went. The director of the Community Health Services said we'd be in trouble if the trend is not reversed. Diabetic children are more prone to have cognitive problems and inferior reading and math scores. And employers should be involved as diabetic employees contribute to their bottom line as they learn how to manage diabetes.