ULM pharmacy students promote diabetes awareness - Monroe News Star

ULM students promote diabetes awareness year round to get people unaware of their high blood sugar levels medical treatment.

Pharmacy students from the University of Louisiana at Monroe spent November promoting diabetes awareness throughout the community and will now prepare for more events when the return from Christmas break.

ULM students with the American Pharmacists Association Academy of Student Pharmacists offered several health fairs where they checked blood sugar levels, provided blood glucose screenings and other diabetic health services for local residents.

The ULM chapter was recognized recently for its implementation of 'Operation Diabetes' that included 18 patient-care events to enhance diabetes awareness, provide free diabetes screenings to elementary school children and promote awareness through media, churches and community events.

Overall, 176 ULM student pharmacists provided 1,257 patients with diabetes focused health and wellness services.

ULM pharmacy students found a number of patients who were unaware of elevated blood sugar levels and needed to pursue treatment options.

Pharmacy student Mary Grace Allison said the goal of their diabetes awareness projects is to locate people unaware of their diabetes and help them find treatment.

Buy Photo

Henry Darrington, a resident Passman Plaza, has his blood sugar tested by a University of Louisiana pharmacy student.(Photo: MARGARET CROFT/THE NEWS-STAR)

'We show them things they can do to lower those levels, but key components to manage diabetes is early detection, diet and exercise. We talk to them about their eating habits and exercise level and the risk factors of diabetes,' Allison said.

Federal health statistics show that 12.3 percent of Americans 20 and older have diabetes, either diagnosed or undiagnosed. Another 37 percent have pre-diabetes, a condition marked by higher-than-normal blood sugar. That's up from 27 percent a decade ago. An analysis of 16 studies involving almost 900,000 people worldwide shows pre-diabetes not only sets the stage for diabetes but also increases the risk of cancer by 15 percent.

Without lifestyle changes, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says up to 30 percent of people with pre-diabetes develop Type 2 diabetes within five years.

Pre-diabetes often has no symptoms; it's found through blood tests. But most of the time it remains undiagnosed. The CDC says about 10 percent of the 86 million afflicted adults know they have it.

As pre-diabetes rises, experts are pushing for greater awareness and screening. Research shows programs promoting lifestyle changes can reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes by almost 60 percent.

Pre-diabetics can prevent or delay diabetes by losing 5 percent to 7 percent of body weight; getting at least 150 minutes a week of moderate exercise such as brisk walking; and eating a moderate-calorie, healthy diet, experts say.

Follow Scott Rogers on Twitter @lscottrogers.

Read or Share this story: http://tnsne.ws/1xWlNGD

Entities 0 Name: ULM Count: 4 1 Name: University of Louisiana Count: 2 2 Name: Scott Rogers Count: 1 3 Name: Passman Plaza Count: 1 4 Name: CDC Count: 1 5 Name: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Count: 1 6 Name: Henry Darrington Count: 1 7 Name: Allison Count: 1 8 Name: MARGARET Count: 1 9 Name: American Pharmacists Association Academy of Student Pharmacists Count: 1 10 Name: Mary Grace Allison Count: 1 11 Name: Monroe Count: 1 Related 0 Url: http://www.healthcaremagic.com/articles/ABC-of-Diabetes/8078 Title: ABC of Diabetes! Description: Diabetes is the most common hormonal disorder affecting adults worldwide. It is also one of the top ten causes of death in adults. In 2006, it was the seventh leading cause of death listed on U.S. death certificates. People with Diabetes are at an increased risk of developing heart disease, stroke, kidney disorder, blindness and nervous system disease.