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Latinos face higher risk of diabetes

GABRIEL RAMIREZ
Más staff  
It never crossed Ines Rodriguez’s mind that someone in her family could have diabetes.
It wasn’t until her ex-husband, Anthony Rodriguez, was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes that she began to wonder if her 11-year-old daughter’s flu-like symptoms could be signs of diabetes.
There are two forms of diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is due to the body’s failure to produce insulin, which unlocks the cells of the body and allows glucose to enter and fuel them. Type 2 diabetes results from the body’s inability to properly use insulin.
Rodriguez’s daughter Sonia was constantly thirsty, and she had even lost 20 pounds in six months.
“We thought it was all stress related,” Rodriguez said.
Sonia was then diagnosed with Type 1, insulin-dependent diabetes.
Now 17-years-old, Sonia has to test her blood-sugar levels and give herself two insulin shots a day.
“Being diagnosed has taught me a lot of responsibility,” Sonia said. “I have been living an adult life since I was 11.”
Sonia said she understands diabetes is something she will have to live with for the rest of her life, and she is dealing with it. She makes sure to take care of herself and eat healthy.
“I don’t want to deprive her from anything. We just limit ourselves to the portions we eat and we stay away from fried foods,” Rodriguez said. “If we eat home-made flour tortillas, she can have a small one instead of eating a couple of them.”
According to the American Diabetes Association, Hispanics are 1.5 times more likely to get Type 2 diabetes than non-Latino whites.
There are 33,000 cases of diabetes in Kern County and 3.6 percent of the Latinos in California have diabetes.
Diabetes is the sixth leading cause of death among Latinos, and the fourth leading cause of death among Hispanic women and elderly, according to state Diabetes Control Program statistics.
“The interesting thing is that diabetes awareness is coming more to the forefront and people are becoming more aware,” said Carlos Alvarez, medical director of Valley Medical Group of Kern County. “Most people go to the doctor only when it is absolutely necessary, but with the mentioning of diabetes by the media, more people are becoming aware.”
John Bañuelos said he was waiting for the day when he would be diagnosed with diabetes.
“My dad, my mom, my sister and my grandmother had it,” Bañuelos said. “I knew it was just a matter of time.”
Bañuelos was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes when he was 40. Now at the age of 59, Bañuelos has decided to take a week-long class at San Joaquin Community Hospital to learn how he can make better eating choices and become aware of the possible complications of diabetes.
“This class is very informative, and I have learned how to plan my meals to be healthy,” he said.
For more information about the class contact Barbara Smith, director, at 661-321-3737.
About the disease
Understanding diabetes can be complicated, especially since researchers don’t know how people get the disease.
“That is the big question and nobody is exactly sure,” said Boyce Dulan, director of disease control and deputy health officer with the Kern County Department of Public Health. “What we do know is that diabetes can be genetic, as is the case with Type 1 diabetes.”
While a direct cause has not been found, both genetics and environmental factors such as obesity and lack of exercise appear to play roles.
Given the greater than average number of Hispanics with diabetes, are Hispanics doing something wrong?
“All we know is that as we compare the number of people in the Latino populations with diabetes we see more cases than with white populations,” Dulan said. “Is it genetic? It might be, but we are not sure.”
Dulan said there are complications to worry about when you have diabetes.
One of them is the lack of circulation throughout the body, which can lead to the amputation of limbs, strokes and heart problems.
“Diabetes is not the killer. It opens the doors for the complications that are,” Dulan said.
“A big problem we are going to see in the future is younger people getting Type 2 diabetes, which means that children will begin seeing the complications that come with diabetes sooner.”
As the months get colder people with diabetes should take extra special care of themselves, remembering that they have weaker immune systems that would benefit from a flu shot.  
Diabetics also should wash their hands frequently, make sure they don’t get chilled and maintaIn a healthy diet.
“A good way to stay healthy for everyone is to get sleep, eat well and exercise,” Dulan said.
For more information, visit the American Diabetes Association’s website, www.diabetes.org/home.

Contact Gabriel Ramirez at
gramirez@masbakersfield.com