Press Release

May 20, 2003
Contact: Mary Kay Sones
770-488-5131

State Diabetes Programs Awarded $27 Million

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has awarded 59 health departments a total of $27 million for diabetes prevention and control programs. The grants went to 50 states, the District of Columbia, and eight U.S. territories.

“With this funding states and territories will be able to increase both the level and intensity of their diabetes prevention and control programs and do more to help their citizens avoid serious diabetes-related complications – such as blindness, lower-limb amputations and kidney failure,” Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson said.

CDC has been funding state diabetes programs for 25 years. Funding ranging from $400,000 to nearly $1 million each will go to 24 states this year. Nine states are receiving first-time funding. They are: Alaska, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Kentucky, Missouri, New Mexico, Pennsylvania and South Carolina.

Diabetes is a major focus area for the Department of Health and Human Services under its new Steps to a HealthierUS initiative.

“We are facing exciting times in diabetes prevention and control right now,” says Dr. Frank Vinicor, director of CDC’s national diabetes program. “We know a lot about what works to prevent diabetes complications, and we have new science to guide us in preventing type 2 diabetes among high-risk adults. States with diabetes programs play an important role in helping us to effectively use these new tools and knowledge.”

The remaining states, territories and District of Columbia, will operate “capacity-building” programs that will continue to assess and monitor the diabetes problem and to initiate prevention and control activities. Funding for these programs ranges from $240,000 to $355,000 each.

CDC awarded grants using objective review panel scores and the state’s diabetes burden by rank. The agency included other program factors, such as Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey (BRFSS) diabetes module as well as each program’s past performance.

Diabetes is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States and costs about $132 billion a year in direct and indirect costs. Type 2 diabetes – previously called adult-onset diabetes – accounts for up to 95 percent of all diagnosed cases of diabetes. Risk factors include age, obesity, family history, prior history of gestational diabetes, impaired glucose tolerance, physical inactivity and race/ethnicity.

Type 1 diabetes – previously called juvenile diabetes – accounts for up to 5 percent to 10 percent of all diagnosed cases of diabetes. Autoimmune, genetic and environmental factors are involved in its development.

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For more information, visit CDC’s Diabetes Public Health Resource Web site at www.cdc.gov/diabetes or call the CDC Diabetes Inquiry Line at 1-877-CDC-DIAB (1-877-232-3422)

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