Urban Solutions Doctor's Corner

Noble S. Jones MD

Approximately 2.8
million or 13% of all
African Americans have
diabetes. However,
one-third of them do
not know it. With its
complications -- heart
attack and stroke,
blindness, kidney
disease, and
amputations -- diabetes
is the fifth deadliest
disease in the United
States, and it has no
cure.

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. The cause of
diabetes continues to
be a mystery, although
both genetics and
environmental factors
such as obesity and lack
of exercise appear to
play roles.

Source: American
Diabetes Assoication



		Urban Solutions, Inc. and DiabetesWATCH, a service provided by Aventis Pharmaceuticals, have teamed together to provide you with answers to your questions about diabetes. Each month, Dr. Noble S. Jones will address questions submitted by our readers. To ask Dr. Jones a diabetes related question, please send an e-mail to ysjus4u@aol.com.

		This Month's Question: Ms. Maria Sanchez of North Philadelphia wants to know: "I realize that diabetics need to watch sugar and carbohydrate intake but how does exercise and lowering fat intake help?" Daily exercise with moderate changes in meal planning can reduce risk of developing diabetes by more than 50%. Exercise at least 3x a week (aerobic to increase the heart rate and fat burning ability) Start reading food labels. Stay away from foods that derive more than 30% of its calories from fat. One of the most important ways to lose weight, reduce LDL, and cholesterol is to cut back on the fat. Other benefits of reducing fat intake are decreasing injury to the kidney, brain and heart by controlling blood pressure. For more information on diabetes please visit DiabetesWATCH.com Visit the Urban Solutions Archives for previous DiabetesWATCH questions.