Diabetes conference planned

Joelle Peters

8/16/2001 12:00:00 AM

Medical care providers for diabetic patients will gather together at an area conference to share and gain knowledge on the advanced capability of treating and managing diabetes.

The Third Annual Diabetes Management Type II Update Conference will take place on Sept. 14 and 15. The conference will take place at the Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort. The registration deadline is Aug. 24.

"The conference is to allow other people in and out of Michigan to provide their cliental with information on diabetes," said Tammy House, diabetic coordinator at the Nimkee Memorial Wellness Center.

This event administers the opportunity for health care professionals and other interested parties to learn more about the complications that come with diabetes, how to treat them and how to prevent long-term effects.

The attendees will also be exposed to some cultural teachings. During the Friday evening dinner, there will be a mini-exhibition of drumming and dancing from people in the community.

The goal of the diabetes conference is to bring the latest information to anyone who provides care to diabetic clients, and for others to gain knowledge from those who attend.

Keynote speaker for the event will be Richard Rubin, Ph.D., C.D.E., of Joslin Diabetic Center, Baltimore, Md. He is a respected international speaker and will be presenting on coping with diabetes, according to House.

"Dr. Rubin is a great motivational speaker," stated House. "He will talk about how to cope with diabetes and how to take control of it."

House also stated that all of the speakers were chosen because they have great knowledge about how to prevent and how to treat diabetes.

Diabetes mellitus is a disease caused by a deficiency of insulin, which is a hormone secreted by the pancreas, according to the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (CDP), a branch of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The total number of diagnosed and undiagnosed people with diabetes in the population is 15.7 million. That means that 5.9 percent of the population has diabetes. An average of about 2,200 new cases of diabetes are diagnosed in the United States everyday, according to the CDP.

Some health complications that may result from diabetes, include heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure and blindness, according to the CDC. A diabetic person is also two to four times more vulnerable to developing these complications. The prevalence of diabetes in the age group of 20 to 64 years of age is the greatest.

Type II diabetes was previously called the non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus or adult-onset diabetes, according to the CDC. Type II diabetes is the most common in all diabetic cases.

The risk factors that type II diabetic patients have are obesity, a history of diabetes, impaired glucose tolerance, physical inactivity and ethnicity. This type also usually occurs in people over the age of 40.

Throughout the year, the Nimkee Clinic hosts Diabetic Support Group meetings that help those who have diabetes maintain healthy and in control. People interested in learning more about diabetes and prevention are also encouraged to attend.

The next meeting is slated for Aug. 22 at 6 p.m. in the Nimkee Public Health Kitchen. A light dinner is also provided.

For more information on either the conference or support group, call (989) 775-4621.