Effects of Healthy Diet and Exercise on Diabetes

Public Health Advocacy Fact Sheet for Diabetes

Part 1

DIABETES

Definition of the Issue

Diabetes is a chronic condition that affects the body's ability to process blood sugar. Type 1 diabetes, also known as insulin-dependent diabetes, is characterized by the body's inability to produce insulin. Type 2 diabetes is characterized by the body’s inability to properly use insulin. In both cases, glucose builds up in the blood, leading to high blood sugar levels.

According to the American Diabetes Association (2018), 10% or approximately 30 million people have diabetes in the U.S. 3 million of those with diabetes are children, which is another 10%--a huge number. In fact, diabetes is among the top ten leading causes of death in America, sitting at number 7 on the list (American Diabetes Association, 2018). Sugar and poor diet/exercise are among the top reasons for diabetes (Sami et al., 2017). Sugar consumption has risen dramatically in the US in direct proportion to the rise in diabetes and diabetes-related illnesses (Bray et al., 2004). As Bray et al. (2004) point out, sugar consumption between 1970 and 1990 in the US rose by 1000%. This puts a considerable amount of pressure on the body, which has to work harder to process all that sugar (mainly consumed in the form of high fructose corn syrup) (Stanhope et al., 2015).

Diabetes is thus a major public health problem because it can lead to a number of serious health complications, including heart disease, stroke, kidney damage, and nerve damage. Diabetes is also a leading cause of blindness and amputations. People with diabetes need to carefully manage their condition through diet, exercise, and medication in order to avoid these complications.

Type 2 diabetes is the more common type, and is recognized as a complex chronic disease with multifaceted etiology. Its rising prevalence is linked to numerous factors, including obesogenic diets, physical inactivity and urbanization. Structural factors such as poverty and poor education can exacerbate the problem. For instance, lack of access to healthy food options and safe spaces for physical activity disproportionately affects low-income populations and contributes to the social gradient in diabetes risk. In addition, living in urban areas has been linked to increased exposure to air pollution and noise which can lead to stress and further impair insulin sensitivity. Together, these findings suggest that the political, social and economic context play an important role in the development of type 2 diabetes. By better understanding these upstream structural factors, we can develop more targeted interventions to prevent the disease.

Goals/Objectives

What I hope to accomplish with my fact sheet: raise awareness about how healthy diet and exercise help to prevent diabetes. My advocacy goal with regard to diabetes is promoting healthy diet and exercise through an increase in health literacy. This is because making healthy choices can help to prevent type 2 diabetes, and it can also help those who already have the disease to manage their symptoms (Davis, 2008). Exercise, for example, helps to keep blood sugar levels under control. And eating a healthy diet helps to maintain a healthy weight, which is an important factor in managing diabetes.

Furthermore, by promoting healthy diet and exercise, advocates can hope to encourage people to make sustainable lifestyle changes that will have a positive impact on their overall health. In other words, an advocate is working to raise awareness about how making small changes in diet and exercise can have a big impact on diabetes prevention and management. And by raising awareness one is increasing health literacy about an important topic. The more that the public is aware of how a healthy diet and regular exercise can help to prevent diabetes, the better they will be in terms of deterring this public health problem.

Target Audience

The target audience for this public health fact sheet is adults aged 18 and over who have been diagnosed with diabetes or who may be at risk for diabetes. The purpose of the fact sheet is to provide information on the causes, symptoms and treatment of diabetes. It also aims to promote healthy lifestyle choices that can help to prevent the onset of diabetes. The fact sheet includes information on the different types of diabetes, as well as tips on diet, exercise and stress management. It also provides contact details for national organizations that offer support and resources for people with diabetes. By providing this information, the fact sheet aims to empower people with diabetes to take control of their health and manage their condition effectively.

I am also targeting policy makers with my fact sheet messaging about diabetes. My audience includes elected officials at the local, state, and federal levels, as well as staff members who work for these officials. The purpose is to raise awareness about the prevalence of diabetes and the need for policies that will help to prevent and treat the disease. I want to specifically highlight the importance of access to affordable healthcare, nutrition education, preventive health, health literacy, physical activity. I believe that by working together, we can make a real difference in the lives of those affected by diabetes.

Communicating the Story

The main message I am trying to get across about diabetes is that it is a serious disease that can have devastating consequences if it is not properly managed. I want people to know that diabetes occurs when there is too much sugar in the blood, and this can lead to a host of problems including heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, and blindness. I want them to understand that while there is no cure for diabetes, it can be controlled if not prevented through diet and exercise (Davis, 2008). It is important for people with diabetes to monitor their blood sugar levels carefully and to take their medication as prescribed. With proper care, people with diabetes can lead long and healthy lives.

I am advocating for a policy change with regard to diabetes. In particular, I believe that the government should provide more funding for research into the causes and treatment of diabetes, like that conducted by Davis (2008) in the Marshall Islands. This would help to give more evidence that diet and exercise help a lot. In addition, I want more funding for parks and health diets in food deserts. The point that Hruby and Hu (2015) make, which is that “with few restrictions on access to or availability of food, the prevalence of overweight and obesity in the USA climbed virtually unmitigated over the last 50 years” (p. 674), is one I want policy makers to be very much aware of. Action needs to be taken to promote and support healthy dieting and exercise in the American population. Otherwise, this country will continue to struggle with diabetes and with the epidemic that is now the problem of obesity, particularly among children—which sets them up for health struggles all through adulthood (Flynne et al., 2015).

Monitoring and Evaluating

There are a few ways that I can evaluate the outcomes of my efforts in diabetes prevention. To start, I will measure how many policy makers view my fact sheet, which I can do by posting it on social media or through Substack or any number of places online where I can see traffic and hits. If the numbers are high, it means that awareness has been raised among policy makers.

Additionally, I will look at the number of people who have signed up for diabetes prevention programs. If this number has increased, it means that my efforts have been successful in getting people to take action to prevent diabetes. Lastly, I will track the number of media outlets that picked up my story. If more outlets are talking about diabetes prevention, it means that my message is getting out there and making an impact, and health literacy is improving.

Overall, these are a few ways that I can measure the success of my efforts in diabetes prevention. I can also look at how much funding is being given to preventive health programs that support diabetes health literacy and whether politicians are talking more about this issue or if they are just ignoring it on their platforms. I want the study by Davis (2008) to be better known, so I will be sharing that on social media as well.

Part 2

DIABETES FACT SHEET

“Diabetes Kills but Can be Controlled and Prevented”

Summary

Diabetes is a chronic health problem that occurs when the body cannot produce or properly use insulin, a hormone that regulates blood sugar levels. According to the American Diabetes Association, diabetes affects 30 million Americans, or about 10% of the population, with 3 million being children. The majority of people with diabetes have type 2 diabetes, which is marked by high blood sugar levels resulting from insulin resistance or the body’s inability to produce enough insulin. However, studies have shown that reduced sugar consumption, diet, and regular exercise can help to prevent, control and even reverse symptoms and signs of diabetes (Davis, 2008; Flynn et al., 2015; Stanhope et al., 2015).