What You Need to Know About Diabetes: Web Chat Tonight

Statistics from the American Diabetes Association show that more than 23 million people in the United States, or 8 percent of the population have diabetes.
Tennessee is the second-heaviest state in the United States, which contributes to a higher rate of Type 2 diabetes among the population and generally low rankings for overall health.

Jim Perkins, director of Wellmont’s Diabetes Treatment Centers, will be on hand tonight at our continuous news desk to answer your questions about Diabetes. Our live web chat starts at 5 p.m. and will continue until 6:30 p.m.

More information about Wellmont’s Diabetes Treatment Centers and their new program, Families Against Diabetes:
Courtesy of Wellmont Health System
Wellmont Health System is currently partnering with the state of Tennessee on an interactive, educational initiative designed to curb the alarming increase of Type 2 diabetes among adolescents.

Families Against Diabetes, a program designed and implemented by Wellmont’s Diabetes Treatment Centers, will reach out to families in Northeast Tennessee with children in grades kindergarten through sixth grade who have been identified as being at risk for Type 2 diabetes, which is driven largely by obesity.

Residents in Northeast Tennessee who have diabetes – as well as those who have risk factors for the disease – are eligible for enrollment. Parents who are interested in the program can call the Diabetes Treatment Center in Kingsport at (423) 224-3578 to discuss their risk factors and their children’s risk factors to determine eligibility. Those who have been diagnosed with pre-diabetes – or blood sugar levels of 101-125 – are eligible.

“Diabetes is a disease that can be managed, and if you’re at risk for Type 2 diabetes it can be delayed and possibly prevented – if you get involved,” said Jim Perkins, director of Wellmont’s Diabetes Treatment Centers. “One of the goals is preventing the onset of diabetes in adolescents who might develop Type 2 without education and intervention. Sometimes it just takes lifestyle modifications – even small, incremental changes – to make a difference, and there are so many families out there who are eager to make those changes.

“All they need is a little help. We believe this can help turn the tide, and we’re grateful to the State of Tennessee’s Project Diabetes program for seeing the benefits of Families Against Diabetes.”

Tennessee is the second-heaviest state in the United States, which contributes to a higher rate of Type 2 diabetes among the population and generally low rankings for overall health. Tennessee isn’t alone in suffering from a problem with diabetes, as the latest estimates from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention show that nearly 24 million adults and children in the United States have diabetes – an increase of more than three million over two years. Approximately 25 percent of people who have diabetes aren’t aware they have the disease.