Human Services News

CDC - Media Relations - Press Release - September 18, 2006

About 2.5 million (9.5 percent) Hispanic Americans age 20 or older struggle with diabetes in the United States.

Three Prevention Research Centers (PRC) funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) -- The University of Arizona's Southwest Center for Community Health, the San Diego Prevention Research Center, and the University of Illinois at Chicago Prevention Research Center -- are working to reverse the trend and ultimately eliminate health problems such as diabetes and obesity that disproportionately affect Hispanic communities.

Approaches being tested focus on how families and friends can help people start or keep doing things that will help prevent diabetes.

The current research is evaluating family involvement, walking clubs and other things that foster physical activity, and teaching people to be health coaches.

"If we hope to significantly reduce the number of people suffering from diabetes and obesity, we need family members and others to get involved.

The work being done by the Prevention Research Centers is an important part of CDC's goals to help improve the health of individuals, families, and communities across the nation, Collins said.