Daelyn House Data News Weekly Contributor
Americans often indulge in large holiday feasts, sometimes consuming more than 5,000 calories daily between Thanksgiving and Christmas. For many families, these traditions bring joy, but they also highlight a serious truth: Black Adults continue to experience disproportionately high rates of diabetes, and the risks only grow when holiday eating habits go unchecked.
“1-in-5 people don’t know they have it. It is important to have an annual health checkup because early detection is crucial,” said Dr. Katrina Nguyen, a Clinical Assistant Professor at Xavier University of Louisiana. “Type 2 Diabetes is preventable in most cases, and it is important to pay attention to what your body tells you.”
Health Professionals say they hope to raise awareness of how chronic disease deeply affects Black communities across the United States.
Listening to your body does not only mean attending doctor visits and annual screenings, it also includes making changes to daily habits such as meal frequency, diet choices, and physical activity, said Kwame Terra, a Fitness and Health Specialist. Increasing movement and building fitness can help lower the risk of premature death among people with diabetes and can significantly reduce blood sugar levels, Terra explained. Exercise is an important tool against diabetes, he said, as it encourages muscles to absorb glucose rather than allowing it to circulate in the bloodstream, which can cause high blood sugar.
“Walk every day. Even 10–20 minutes can help your body use insulin better so sugar moves out of your bloodstream and into your cells the way it should,” said Kwame Terra, who Co-Founded bEHR Health (the Black Electronic Health Record) to encourage the Black community to take back control of their well-being. “I want our community to understand this because it means diabetes isn’t random or something you’re doomed to have,” he said.
Diabetes remains one of the most widespread Chronic Illnesses in the U.S., affecting more than 34 million adults. Black Adults are 60-percent more likely to be diagnosed with diabetes and twice as likely to die of complications due to diabetes, due to limited access to healthy foods, safe places to exercise, and Affordable Healthcare, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
“You are not stuck, and your body can heal,” Terra said, explaining that Type 2 Diabetes often develops when the body is out of balance. “Too much of what it doesn’t need, and not enough of what it does.”
He advised that by removing processed, high-fat foods and adding more whole, plant-based meals and simple daily movement, people can regain control of their health.
“You can get better, your numbers can change, and you don’t have to do this alone,” he said about creating resources like the bEHR App to track fitness and diet.
In 2024, non-Hispanic Black or African American Adults were diagnosed with diabetes 24-percent more frequently than adults of the total population. In 2021, non-Hispanic Black or African Americans were diagnosed with end-stage renal disease due to diabetes 2.19 times more often than the total population. Most importantly, experts added that taking diabetes medication(s) the way your doctor prescribes will help keep diabetes management under control, said Dr. Brittany Singleton a Clinical Associate Professor of Pharmacy at Xavier.
“I want people to know they’re not alone. Talk to your provider, talk to your pharmacist, and don’t be afraid to ask questions about your medicine,” Singleton said. “Many diabetes medications have early side effects, but most improve as the body adjusts, and so do patients’ blood sugars,” Singleton added.
Recommended For You.
Be the first to comment