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News Release

Media Contact:
Christina Chavira
Communications Specialist
530.332.5589 - office
christina.chavira@enloe.org              

Enloe’s Diabetes Alert Day to offer free screenings, presentations

CHICO, Calif., March 12, 2010 – Enloe Medical Center’s Diabetes Education program will host Diabetes Alert Day, Monday, March 22, 2010 from 9 a.m. to noon. The event is free and open to all ages. It  will offer two screenings, two 15-minute presentations, and a chance to ask questions of clinical staff in English or in Spanish. The event will take place at the Enloe Conference Center, 1528 Esplanade, in Chico.

The screenings offered will be a test to determine one’s risk for developing Type II diabetes and a blood-sugar test. Information about the warning signs and risk factors for developing diabetes will also be available. From 10:10 a.m. to 10:50 a.m. participants can attend 15-minute presentations on healthy eating tips and how to develop an exercise plan. Clinical staff will be available at the event for discussion and to answer any questions. Spanish-speaking staff will also be available.

One in five Americans is at higher risk for developing Type II diabetes. According to the American Diabetes Association, Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes. People with Type 2 diabetes either don’t produce enough insulin or their cells ignore the insulin. Insulin takes sugar from the blood to the cells and when that sugar builds up in the blood it can lead to diabetes complications. The diabetes rate in Butte County is higher than the state average. According to the 2007 Enloe Community Health Needs Assessment, the Self-Reported Prevalence of Diabetes in Butte County is 10.6 percent compared with 7.1 percent for the state.

Diabetes Alert Day is an annual national awareness campaign put on by the American Diabetes Association. It is a “wake up” call asking Americans what they will do to stop diabetes and to know their risk for developing Type II diabetes.

About Enloe’s Diabetes Education: This program offers individual education and group classes for people with Type I and Type II diabetes, as well as education for women with gestational diabetes. Education includes understanding the disease, meal planning and blood-sugar goal ranges, diabetes care during illness, goal setting and support. The program is located at the Enloe Outpatient Center, 888 Lakeside Village Commons, Building C, in Chico. Physician referral is required for participation. Diabetes education has been provided at Enloe since 1986. The program was recently named an accredited diabetes education program by the American Association of Diabetes Educators. Enloe’s Diabetes Education program has been accredited since 2001 through the American Diabetes Association. Learn more about Enloe Diabetes Education.

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Enloe Medical Center is a local, nonprofit health care organization. For more information, please call 530/332-7300 or visit us online at http://www.enloe.org.   Enloe Medical Center is located at 1531 Esplanade Chico, Calif.  95926.