The United States disease control and prevention centers (CDC) have joined forces with the American Medical Association (AMA) to develop an "urgent action" that helps prevent the accelerated increase in diabetes cases in the United States.
Under the slogan "Prevent Diabetes Stat (Screen, Test, Act, Today)", the alliance will allow promoting an initiative for several years to expand the work that both organizations develop in order to stop the progress of type 2 diabetes, considered aof the most problematic chronic diseases in the country.
"We need a joint national effort to prevent additional cases of type 2 diabetes in our country and we need to be now," said Ann Albright, director of the CDC Diabetes Division.
According to CDC data, more than 86 million Americans live with prediabetes and about 90 % of them do not know, given that although they have a higher blood sugar level higher than normal, it is not enoughas to be diagnosed with the disease.
Health authorities estimate that between 15 % and 30 % of people with prediabetes will develop the disease in the next 5 years if they do not apply changes in their food and lifestyle, such as increasing physical activity and losing moderately weight.
Compared to other ethnic groups, Hispanics present almost double risk of developing type 2 diabetes, while gestational diabetes is also more frequent among Hispanic and African -American women, according to CDC data.
As part of the initiative, both organizations have created a data network with resources available in each community so that medical staff can better guide patients.
Likewise, an Internet platform (www.preventdiabetesstat.org) has been created that allows patients to determine the risk of developing type 2.