SALINAS, CA — Natividad Medical Center encourages you to know your risk of developing diabetes, a disease that many ignore until it is too late. To help bring attention to the disease, the American Diabetes Association has deemed Tuesday, March 28th, as Diabetes Alert Day.

On Diabetes Alert Day, a day in which everyone is encouraged to take a Diabetes Risk Test to find out if they are at risk for developing Type 2 diabetes, the Diabetes Education Center will have an informational booth in the Main Lobby of Natividad Medical Center, 1441 Constitution Blvd., from 11:00am – 1:00pm. Please stop by our booth to find out if you are at risk for developing Type 2 diabetes and what you can do to prevent it. There will be no blood testing. No appointment necessary. Available on a first come first serve basis. The direct line for the Diabetes Education Center is 831-755-6292.

According to the American Diabetes Association, a recent study showed that many overweight and obese Americans do not believe they are at serious risk for diabetes and are ignoring weight as a health risk. Diabetes is a leading cause of death in the United States, WITH 22 MILLION AMERICANS DIAGNOSED WITH THE DISEASE AS OF 2014 (CDC). The CDC predicts that unless things change, by 2050, 1 in 3 Americans will have diabetes. There are two major types of diabetes: type 1 and type 2. Type 1 indicates that the body cannot produce any insulin. This most often occurs in children and young adults, though may occur at any age. These individuals must take daily insulin injections. Type 2 is a metabolic disorder resulting from the body’s inability to make enough, or properly use, insulin. This type makes up 90 to 95 percent of affected population.

In Salinas Valley, more than 1 in 10 adults has diabetes, which is higher than the rates for both California and the United States. Over 25% of seniors have diabetes, with an additional 50% with pre-diabetes. Currently, 1/3 of Californians ages 18-39 have pre-diabetes, but in Monterey County the rate is higher, at 37%.

The risk factors for diabetes include individuals with a family history of the disease; adults over the age of 45; individuals who are overweight by more than 10 pounds; individuals who do not exercise on a regular basis; minority populations; individuals with hypertension or blood pressure greater than 140 over 90; and women who had gestational diabetes.

In addition, studies have shown that type 2 diabetes can often be prevented or delayed by losing just 7% of body weight (such as 15 pounds if you weigh 200 pounds) through simple, regular physical activity such as walking (30 minutes a day, 5 days a week) and healthful eating. By understanding one’s risk, it is possible to take the necessary steps to help prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes.

Warning Signs:

• Frequent urination
• Excessive thirst
•  Extreme hunger
• Unusual weight loss
• Increased fatigue
• Irritability
• Blurry vision
• BMI > 25

Natividad Medical Center’s Diabetes Education Center offers outpatient services to children and adults with diabetes Type 1, Type 2, gestational diabetes, and pre-diabetes. Outpatient services include individual counseling and education, group counseling and education, community presentations and outreach. Services are provided by a Certified Diabetes Educator. Services are available in English, Spanish and other languages.

Background on Natividad Medical Center (NMC)
Owned and operated by Monterey County, NMC is a 172-bed, acute-care hospital providing health care services to county residents for more than 132 years. Based in Salinas, California, NMC offers inpatient, outpatient, emergency, diagnostic and specialty medical care. NMC provides more than 34,000 patient days of care each year and has more than 52,000 emergency department visits per year. NMC is a Level II Trauma Center providing the immediate availability of specialized personnel, equipment and services to treat the most severe and critical injuries. NMC’s Trauma Center is a vital community service locally that saves lives and eliminates the need to fly critically injured patients to a distant trauma center. NMC is ranked No. 1 in newborn deliveries in Monterey County and is the only teaching hospital on the Central Coast through its affiliation with the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). With a medical staff of more than 300 physicians, NMC’s mission is to continually monitor and improve the health of the people, including the vulnerable, in Monterey County through coordinated, affordable high-quality health care. For more information, please call 831-755-4111 or visit www.natividad.com.