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Reduce Diabetes Risk with good Nutrition and Exercise

November is American Diabetes Month

Tennessee Department of HealthNashville, TN – Diabetes takes the lives of more Americans every year than breast cancer and AIDS combined, according to the American Diabetes Association. But with a healthy eating plan and regular exercise, people may reduce their risk for diabetes. As part of November’s observance of American Diabetes Month, the Tennessee Department of Health is reminding Tennesseans of free tools and tips available from Get Fit Tennessee to help reduce the risk for diabetes and its complications by improving nutrition and increasing physical activity.

“With more than an estimated 500,000 Tennesseans living with diabetes, it has become an alarming epidemic in our state,” said Health Commissioner Susan R. Cooper, MSN, RN. “The good news is that most cases of Type 2 diabetes are preventable with good nutrition and regular physical activity.”

People at risk for diabetes have one or more of the following risk factors:  they are older than 45; have a family history of diabetes; are overweight; do not exercise regularly; have low HDL cholesterol, high triglycerides or high blood pressure; or are women who had gestational diabetes or have had a baby weighing nine pounds or more at birth.

Although Tennessee has made strides in lowering rates of diabetes in the state, the disease continues to be a significant concern. However, with proper control of blood sugar, persons living with diabetes can prevent or delay the onset of complications associated with this disease.

Get Fit Tennessee The Get Fit Tennessee website, www.GetFitTN.com, provides free health and fitness tools that can assist anyone managing diabetes or trying to prevent the disease. One useful tool for getting started is the body mass index, or BMI, calculator, which determines if a person is overweight or obese based on height and weight. This can be a critical factor in assessing risk for diabetes.

Users can create a free account at www.GetFitTN.com for access to more free tools, including a nutrition tracker to record calories, fat grams and carbohydrates consumed each day. Users can also accumulate “fitness points” by logging physical activity in the Fitness Tracker, as well as set fitness and nutrition goals. Users managing diabetes or other health issues can record blood glucose levels, blood pressure, cholesterol levels and hemoglobin A1C over time.

To learn more about diabetes, visit www.GetFitTN.com or the American Diabetes Association website, www.diabetes.org.

About Get Fit Tennessee

GetFitTN is a statewide awareness program developed by Governor Phil Bredesen to address the rising epidemic of Type 2 diabetes and risk factors that lead to diabetes, like obesity. This initiative is aimed at educating both adults and children that Type 2 diabetes can be delayed or even prevented with modest lifestyle changes like increasing physical activity and a healthier diet.

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