Why Blacks shouldn't ignore diabetes

Jet, May 28, 2007 by Dana Slagle

It took losing her eyesight for Annette Gordon to realize the seriousness of diabetes.

She ignored several early warning signs-losing some of her teeth and suffering complications during two of her four pregnancies.

But she did what many people do. "I did not take it seriously. I really did not," the Baltimore resident told JET, adding that despite her doctor's advice, she refused to exercise, change her eating habits, or take medication regularly.

Gordon is among the 20 million Americans diagnosed with diabetes. It is a growing epidemic that affects African-Americans at twice the rate of Whites.

And a newly released report on the prevalence of the diabetes-related complications in African-Americans, "State of Diabetes Complications in America" (www.stateofdiabetes.com), notes diabetic African-Americans have higher rates of chronic kidney disease, foot problems and eye damage resulting from the disease.

Its cause is unknown, but a cure is closer than ever.

Researchers at the University of Michigan (UM) School of Public Health (UM) recently found 10 genetic variants, which could lead to new diabetes drugs, and the targeting of more effective drug and behavioral therapies, as well as enabling medical professionals to make improvements in predicting who will develop diabetes.

"This is certainly not the complete genetic architecture for diabetes, but we have come a long way in better understanding the genetic basis for this disease," explained Michael Boehnke, UM lead scientist of the Finland-United States Investigation of Non-Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus Genetics (FUSION) study group.

It worked in partnership with two other groups of scientists to complete this extensive international study.

Other research suggests gastric-bypass surgery could be an option for obese patients with diabetes.

In its March issue, EBONY Magazine cited a study published in the 2004 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association that revealed "70 percent of the more than 22,000 obese or morbidly obese patients with diabetes found that there was resolution to their diabetes after gastric-bypass surgery."

Advancements in type 2 diabetes would have a great impact on African-Americans and other minority groups. The highest occurrence of diabetes occurs in Blacks between ages 65 to 75, according to the Office of Minority Health. Diabetes especially attacks African-American women. The American Diabetes Association reports that one in four African-American women over 55 has diabetes. "It is not clear why African-Americans, or why the other ethnic minority groups, suffer at a higher diabetes rate than Caucasians," said Samuel Dagogo-Jack, M.D., professor of medicine and program director of endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism, and associate director of the General Research Center at the University of Tennessee Center for Health Sciences in Memphis.

Dagogo-Jack explained that diabetes (a disease that causes your blood sugar, or glucose to elevate too high or to drop too low) is believed to develop from a combination of genetics, lifestyle and environment.

In addition, African-Americans are more likely to experience complications of diabetes, such as eye disease, kidney failure and amputations of the legs and feet.

Former Dallas Cowboys star Ron Springs is familiar with this. He developed diabetes 16 years ago. The illness led to his having his toes and a foot amputated, as well as a failed kidney.

"I didn't take care of my diabetes. My diabetes was out of control, so I ended up with some serious complications ...," said the 50-year-old, who received a kidney from his former teammate and friend Everson Walls (JET, March 26).

Springs, along with his son, Shawn Springs, a current Washington Redskins player, partnered to campaign against the consequences of unmanaged diabetes through the State of Diabetes Complications in America effort. He hopes to educate African-American men.

"We don't even go to the doctor until something is really wrong with us," Shawn told JET. "We need to be made aware of this disease and go get ourselves checked out and go to the doctor."

In addition to awareness and education, there are other things African-Americans can do.

"In all of medicine, nowhere do we get an opportunity to make an impact in a so-called genetic disease as we do in diabetes," said Dagogo-Jack, explaining that consuming plenty of vegetables and drinking water, along with exercising and taking medications, are great weapons against the disease.

Gordon agrees and now eats healthful foods, walks and rides a stationary bike several times a week. She takes her prescribed medication regularly and monitors her blood glucose.

In 2005, Gordon underwent surgery that restored partial vision in one eye. Though legally blind, she now teaches Braille and lectures about health care at the Blind Industries of Maryland where she was taught.

"From the diabetes, I've learned that you've got to take this thing seriously from day one!"

What is Diabetes?

Diabetes is a condition in which a person's body produces insufficient insulin, or uses insulin improperly. Insulin is a hormone needed to convert food into energy. Insulin deficiency can cause high glucose, or blood sugar, which leads to major health complications.