Joslin Diabetes Center Seeks To Catalyze The Prevention Of Type 2 Diabetes

BOSTON, March 25, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of its groundbreaking initiative to advance the prevention of type 2 diabetes, Joslin Diabetes Center has gathered 15 articles on diabetes prevention in a supplement to the April issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.  Entitled "Advancing the Science and Practice of Diabetes Prevention," the supplement includes novel perspectives on diabetes prevention from key leaders across government agencies, as well as research findings and reports on preventive initiatives.

The supplement builds upon the momentum created by a national diabetes prevention summit convened by Joslin in Washington, DC in 2011.  The summit brought together researchers, clinicians, advocates, and policymakers to discuss how to effectively translate the best and most current evidence on diabetes prevention into practice, many of whom were invited to contribute to the supplement.  In conjunction with the summit, Joslin launched its Diabetes Prevention Initiative aimed at exploring new ways to implement diabetes prevention on a national scale through education, treatment and affiliation networks.

From the summit and the supplement, a consensus has emerged that the following are needed in order to increase the prevention of diabetes:

• Expanded screening to identify individuals with pre-diabetes;
• Expanded employer, health plan, and government consciousness and support for diabetes prevention;
• Enhanced access to clinical programs for diabetes prevention;
• Greater patient awareness and education regarding diabetes prevention; and
• Continued research into diabetes prevention interventions.

"The diabetes pandemic mandates that we embark on new and aggressive solutions for addressing this disease," said John L. Brooks III, President and CEO of Joslin Diabetes Center. "We cannot stand by allowing the human devastation and economic pain to continue every day while our leaders debate the merits of preventive care. The best way to get ahead of the oncoming and overwhelming wave of diabetes is to focus on preventing it."

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 25.8 million Americans suffer from diabetes, with some 2 million new cases each year. The CDC estimates that by 2050, one-third of Americans could develop diabetes. The current annual economic cost of diabetes in the U.S. is estimated to be more than $245 billion.

Contributors to the AJPM supplement include Patrick Conway, Chief Medical Officer, Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services; Deneen Voijta, Senior Vice President, United HealthCare; Griffin Rodgers, Director, National Institute for Diabetes and Diseases of the Kidney, National Institutes of Health; Ann Albright, Director, Diabetes Prevention, Centers for Disease Control; and David Goff, Dean, Colorado School of Public Health.

About Joslin Diabetes Center

Joslin Diabetes Center is the world leader in diabetes research, clinical care and education.  Joslin is dedicated to ensuring that people with diabetes live long, healthy lives and offers real hope and progress toward diabetes prevention and a cure.  Joslin is an independent, nonprofit institution affiliated with Harvard Medical School.  Our mission is to prevent, treat and cure diabetes.  Our vision is a world free of diabetes and its complications.  For more information, visit www.joslin.org.

SOURCE Joslin Diabetes Center