Governor George E. Pataki has announced that 14 community-based organizations in New York State have been awarded grants totaling $700,000 to help prevent or control diabetes among New Yorkers.
"Keeping New Yorker's healthy and assisting them in living long, healthy lives has been a priority and that is why we've worked so hard to make our health care system one of the best in the nation," Governor Pataki said. "Diabetes is a serious public health problem that is best dealt with through early detection, self-management and education and this statewide initiative builds on our commitment to increasing public awareness about diabetes and educating families on how best to detect and manage this disease."
The partnerships receiving awards today will provide services and support to communities that are most at risk for a higher prevalence of diabetes among New Yorkers. An estimated 960,000 New Yorkers have been diagnosed with diabetes and hundreds of thousands more unknowingly have the disease, but remain undiagnosed.
While diabetes affects people of all ages, race and ethnicity, studies indicate that African-Americans, Hispanics and Native Americans represent a disproportionate number of those individuals who are impacted by the disease. Other individuals at increased risk for developing diabetes are those who are overweight or obese, older, have a family history of diabetes, or do not exercise regularly. Diabetes may also cause complications for pregnant women and their babies.