HEALTH & BEAUTY
DIABETES & OBESITY IN OUR BLACK COMMUNITY WRITTEN BY DAWN ANDERSON
L ouisville’s larger Black and African-American Kentucky ranked at or near the bottom compared to other states.Early-stage and ongoing preventive care are much less costly than treating acute or chronic health problems like diabetes and obesity. With the COVID-19 public health emergency officially ending on May 11, 2023, delay of care should continue to decline.Lacking insurance and Medicaid coverage, as well as the accessibility and affordability of fresh, whole foods and safe places for exercise and outdoor activity, remain ongoing concerns. Diabetes occurs when insulin deficiencies elevate blood sugar levels.Insulin is a hormone regulating food storage and energy, storing glucose in the blood or moving it into cells as needed. When the body cannot produce enough insulin or use it efficiently, blood glucose rises, resulting in debilitating symptoms, an increased risk of organ damage or failure, and other chronic illnesses. The three types of diabetes are populations are disproportionately affected by the same health risk indicators routinely showing
Type 1 Diabetes (insulin-dependent or juvenile diabetes), Type 2 Diabetes (also known as insulin-resistant or adult- onset diabetes), and Gestational Diabetes (occurs in pregnant women and usually reverses itself after childbirth). The medical definition of obesity is a body mass index (BMI) over 30, whereas overweight is 25-30. Kentucky’s adult obesity rate of 40.3% is the third worst in the US, behind West Virginia and Alabama. The rate of diabetes among Kentucky adults is up to 13.6%. Jefferson County’s rate stands steady at 11% in 2023. While the prevalence of obesity is lower in West Louisville, for example, diabetes is as high as 32%, a disparity primarily attributed to food deserts, poverty, unemployment, and access to care, issues city officials and area health systems are working to address. Individually, one can lower the risk or manage diabetes and obesity by losing weight, eating a high-protein/low-carb diet avoiding sugar and unhealthy fats, drinking more water, exercising 30 minutes per day five times per week, minimizing stress, prioritizing sleep, and keeping up with regular doctor visits.
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