Senate Bill sb2618

    Florida Senate - 2007        (NP)                      SR 2618

    By Senator Peaden





    2-1937-07

  1                        Senate Resolution

  2         A resolution supporting education, screening,

  3         and aggressive medical treatment to help

  4         prevent diabetes.

  5  

  6         WHEREAS, diabetes is a chronic and serious disease for

  7  which there is currently no cure, and

  8         WHEREAS, individuals who have type 1 diabetes are most

  9  often children or young adults who are unable to produce or

10  properly use insulin, and

11         WHEREAS, individuals having type 2 diabetes, or

12  adult-onset diabetes, cannot produce enough insulin or

13  properly use insulin and often do not exhibit symptoms in the

14  early stages of the disease, and

15         WHEREAS, patients suffering from diabetes have

16  long-term complications, including high blood sugar levels,

17  blindness, lower extremity amputation, heart disease, kidney

18  failure, and premature death, and

19         WHEREAS, in recent years, the number of individuals

20  diagnosed with diabetes has increased dramatically, and

21         WHEREAS, 9 out of 10 individuals who are newly

22  diagnosed with adult-onset diabetes also suffer from obesity,

23  and

24         WHEREAS, America faces a diabetic epidemic wherein an

25  estimated 20.8 million Americans nationwide live with

26  diabetes, and

27         WHEREAS, diabetes is the sixth leading cause of death

28  in Florida, with the highest concentration of deaths located

29  in the panhandle of Florida and central Florida, and

30         WHEREAS, research has shown that some ethnic groups are

31  disproportionately affected by diabetes compared to the

                                  1

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida Senate - 2007        (NP)                      SR 2618
    2-1937-07




 1  general population, which is of great concern in Florida

 2  because more than one-third of the state's population is

 3  African-American, Hispanic, or Native American, and

 4         WHEREAS, the earlier that a person is diagnosed with

 5  diabetes and receives treatment, the better the person's

 6  chances are for avoiding the complications of the disease, and

 7         WHEREAS, the first line of treatment recommended by

 8  health care standards is diet and exercise, and a healthful

 9  diet and loss of excess weight can have a positive effect on

10  the human body's ability to fight the disease, and

11         WHEREAS, traditionally those persons who are at the

12  highest risk include older individuals, those who have a

13  family history of the disease, and those who are overweight,

14  and

15         WHEREAS, in recent years there has been an alarming

16  increase in the growing number of younger people who are being

17  diagnosed with diabetes, which is attributed to lifestyle and

18  excessive body mass, NOW, THEREFORE,

19  

20  Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of Florida:

21  

22         That health care providers in this state are urged to

23  adopt generally recognized clinical practice guidelines, such

24  as goals from the American Diabetes Association,

25  recommendations and standards that identify the reduction of

26  body mass index (BMI), cardiovascular risk issues, and

27  glycemic control as key factors in managing diabetes.

28         Be it further resolved that health care providers are

29  strongly encouraged to inform patients that proper nutrition

30  and exercise may reduce their chances of contracting diabetes.

31  

                                  2

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.