Overview
Diabetes Mellitus is a global epidemic. In the United States, diabetes affects more than 20 million people. Particularly at risk are the 6.2 million Americans unaware that they have diabetes and minority populations who are disproportionately affected by diabetes. In New York State, more than 1.1 million people have diabetes. According to the American Diabetes Association, the annual cost of diabetes in medical expenditures climbed from $98 billion in 1997 to $132 billion in 2002. All of these numbers continue to increase with the rise in obesity and sedentary lifestyles. Now is a critical time to take action!

What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin. Insulin is a hormone that is needed to convert sugar, starches and other food into energy needed for daily life. When too much energy (glucose) remains in the body it can cause damage to the cardiovascular and nervous systems, eyes, kidneys and feet.

     Visit these sites for more information:
          American Diabetes Association – About Diabetes
          National Diabetes Education Program – What is Diabetes

Diabetes Tutorial
This presentation will give you the basic facts about diabetes with pictures and
diagrams to help you understand the disease.
Click here for the tutorial
Click here for a tutorial (Spanish)