American_Cultue_and_Diabetes

American Culture and Diabetes Peggy Dismuke ANT 101 Kathryn Johnson June 25, 2009 American Culture and Diabetes Diabetes is a growing problem in American culture, linked to family history, sedentary lifestyle, and obesity. Why and how has this become a problem' I will discuss the cause and effect, diagnosing, prevention, and treating the problem. Diabetes is also growing faster in the American youth. By finding a way to control this problem, we can decrease the numbers. American culture is changing every day and Americans are adding more diverted to the foods they are eating. According to an abstract by Karmeen (2004), “Things have changed in the U. S. as the population has grown to include many different ethnic and cultural groups, and this has resulted in diverse foods and food habits. Thus, the American diet is a combination of many cultures and cuisines” (p. 190). With the added ethnic and cultural foods, the American diet has changed the way we cook and what we eat. The growing rate in which Americans are becoming obesity and developing diabetes did not just develop over night. These changes in society began years ago and are still changing. According to Marion (2005), “these societal changes affected the structure of families, schools, neighborhoods, consumer demands, agricultural production, business practices, and technology” (p. 1497). It is just like a domino effect. Americans bring in the diverse foods and eating habits and they get to busy to exercise, they begin to lose control of their weight and health. A chart Marion (2005) talked about had some good examples of the “societal changes that affect children’s diet and activity patterns” (p. 1498). The first column listed the change and the second column listed the consequence: Change | Consequence | 1. More families with working parents | 1. Parents unable to supervise children's meals | 2. Neighborhoods and parks perceived as increasingly unsafe | 2. Children unable to play outside without supervision | 3. Reduced tax revenues for schools | 3. Introduction of soft drink contracts, vending machines, fast food, and food advertising in schools | 4. Limits on school physical education | 4. Less play during and after school | 5. Increased agricultural production | 5. Increased competition for market share; promotion of more junk food directly to children | 6. Increased demand for convenience foods | 6. More eating occasions; more calories consumed | 7. Greater consumption of food prepared outside the home | 7. Larger portions; more calories consumed | 8. Business deregulation | 8. Unrestricted marketing to children | 9. Television deregulation | 9. More commercials for junk foods during children's programming | 10. Increased use of computers | 10. Food marketing on the Internet; more sedentary behavior | 11. Increased media consolidation | 11. Alliances with food companies to market to children | 12. Increased Wall Street expectations for corporate growth | 12. Expansion of fast food chains, food products, and marketing to children | (Marion Nestle, 2005). As you can see, cultural changes can affect us in a large scale. With the change in America’s eating habits it is no wonder diabetes is on the rise. You should have a check up if diabetes runs in your family or if you are obesity. There are different symptoms you can look for: symptoms of hypoglycemia or low blood sugar are shakiness, dizziness, sweating, hunger, headache, pale skin color, sudden moodiness or behavior changes, clumsy or jerky movements, seizure, difficulty paying attention or confusion, and tingling sensations around the mouth. The symptoms for hyperglycemia or high blood sugar are high blood glucose, high levels of sugar in the urine, frequent urination, and increased thirst. According to Mayo Foundation for Medical Education & Research (2009), “To diagnose type 2 diabetes before it does serious damage, diabetes screening is recommended for all children and adolescents at high risk of type 2 diabetes, even if they have no symptoms of the condition. Those considered at high risk include children: * With a body mass index over the 85th percentile * With a sibling, parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, or cousin with type 2 diabetes * Who are black, Hispanic, Native American or Asian-American, as these racial groups have a higher incidence of type 2 diabetes * With signs of insulin resistance, such as darkened skin on the neck” (p.1) As I stated before, you should get a check up with your doctor. The doctor can help you with prevention and treatment of the diabetes. An abstract posted on the Ashford library by Adam Drewnowski (2009) states, “Obesity and type 2 diabetes follow a socioeconomic gradient. Highest rates are observed among groups with the lowest level of education and income and in the most deprived areas” (p. S36). Obesity has become one of the consequences of insecurity and the declining economic environment. A food research stated, “Diet, socioeconomic, and lifestyle factors have a central role to play in the obesity epidemic” (William, Mark, Linda, & Catherine, 2008). This shows that our food choice, lifestyle, and our finances play a large role in the growing rate of diabetes in our culture. There are things that people can do to help prevent and treat this epidemic. The very first thing is to be test if you fall in the high-risk category: it runs in the family, you are obesity, African American, Latino, Native American, Asian American/Pacific Islander or aged population. If you have been test and found that you have diabetes, then you need to learn as much as possible about diabetes. You can ask your doctor for information and you can find a lot of information on line. One web site you can go to for some good information is http://www.diabetes.org; this is the web site for the American Diabetes Association. Once you find out everything you can about diabetes, you need to get regular care for your diabetes. Your doctor can help you find resources like a good diet and help paying for you medical supplies. Another important thing that you should do is to control and monitor your diabetes. Monitoring your diabetes can cut the risk of kidney disease, blindness, losing a leg or foot, and early death from stroke or heart attack. You can talk to your doctor about how to improve your ABC numbers: A1C, blood pressure, and cholesterol. A1C is the measure of your blood glucose over three months. You should have it tested twice a year. Some meters and test strips use whole blood and some use plasma. If you use whole blood, the range should be 80 to 120 before meals and 100 to 140 at bedtime. If you use plasma, the range should be 90 to 130 before meals and 110 to 150 at bedtime. Knowing your blood pressure is also very important. The blood pressure should range less than 130/80 if you have diabetes. Just as important, your cholesterol needs to be controlled; the LDL should range less than 100. By learning how to control and monitor your diabetes, it will help you stay healthier. Following the correct diet, staying active daily, taking your medicines, and checking your blood glucose regularly will help with controlling this growing problem. If you do not monitor and control your diabetes, you will have complications. A few of these complications are heart attack, stroke, blindness, kidney failure, and amputation. “As blood vessels, nerves, and organs become damaged, your risk of diabetes complications increases. These are the most serious: * Heart disease, heart attack, heart failure, and stroke risks are doubled. Heart disease and stroke cause at least 65% of deaths from diabetes. (A. D. A. M., Inc., 2003) * Major eye complications are linked to blood vessels problems in the eyes. Diabetes is a leading cause of preventable blindness; cataracts and glaucoma are also common. * Reduced blood flow to nerves and high blood sugar results in nerve pain, burning, numbness. * Serious leg and foot infections, even gangrene and amputation, are due to poor blood circulation, lack of oxygen and nutrients to tissue, and nerve damage. (A. D. A. M., Inc., 2003) * Kidney damage is a common risk for people with diabetes” (Jeanie, 2007). It is critical that you learn how to control and monitor your diabetes to help prevent these complications. If the American culture is going to get this problem under control, we need to get active and make a change in our consumption. We need to get back to a healthier diet and exercise regularly. There are foods out there that can help you keep yourself health. You can talk to your doctor about your diet and your can also help you with a good exercise program. Changing what we eat can make a big difference. The best way to get this problem under control is to get back to the basics. Having a healthier diet is one of the basics that we need to get back. Following the food pyramid would help get you on the right track. For a healthy diet, you need: * Grains, beans, and starchy vegetables: at least six or more servings a day, these are a good source of B vitamins and fiber. * Fruits: at least two to four servings a day, these are a good source of vitamins C and D, potassium, foliate, and fiber. * Vegetables: at least three to five servings a day, these are a good source of vitamins A and C, foliate, and fiber. * Milk: at least two to three servings a day, these are a good source of calcium, protein, and vitamins A and D. * Meat and meat substitutes: at least two to three servings a day, these are a good source of iron, zinc, B vitamins, and protein. * Fats, sweets, and alcohol: these need to be consumed in small amounts. Fats and oils are high in calories. Sweets are high in sugar and only need to be eaten occasionally. (Amanda Larson, 2009) The diabetic food pyramid is similar with some exceptions: * Grains, beans, and starchy vegetables: pick whole grain foods; these are high in fiber and nutritious. Pick beans for a good source of fiber. Pick whole-wheat flour or other whole-grain flours for baking and cooking. Pick low-fat breads. Pick low-fat crackers and pretzels for snakes. * Vegetables: Pick fresh or frozen vegetables with no added fats, salts, or sauces. Eat more dark greens and deep yellow vegetables. * Fruits: Pick whole fruits more than fruit juices for a good source of fiber. Pick fruits and fruit juices with no added sweeteners or syrups. Eat citrus fruits like oranges, grapefruits, and tangerines. * Milk: Pick low fat or nonfat milk and yogurts. Yogurt has natural sugar already in it. Pick the yogurt with artificial sweeteners, these have fewer calories than the ones with added sugar. * Meat and meat substitutes: Pick fish and poultry and remove the skin from your poultry and fish. Pick lean cuts of beef, veal, pork, and wild game. Be sure to trim all of the visible fat. Instead of frying or adding fat; bake, roast, broil, grill, or boil. * Fats, sweets, and alcohol: Fats- eat less fat in general. Sweets- eat less often and if you do, make it part of your healthy diet. Do not eat them as extras. Alcohol- limit the amount and have it with your meal. Check with your doctor about a safe amount for you. By following a good healthy diet, it will help control the diabetes and your weight. Let us not forget to stay active with exercises. Not only do you have to change your consummation but also you must become active by doing exercises. For those with diabetes exercising can be a plus. Exercising can improve the body’s ability to use insulin, lower the risk for heart disease and stroke, keep your joints flexible and reduce body fat, provide more energy, reduce stress, etc. There are many ways you can find to stay active: * Play with the kids. * Take the stairs. * Wash your car. * Clean your house. * Work in a garden. You want to exercise at least thirty minutes a day; you can divide this up into several parts if you wish. If you are beginners, just start out slowly with five to five minutes a day. There are many way you can get the exercise you need: * Taking a brisk walk * Taking a hike * Climbing stairs * Taking a swim or water-aerobics class * Taking dancing classes * Taking a aerobics class * Taking tennis lessons * Going cross country skiing * Taking a bike ride Another thing you can do is strength training. Strength training can help improve your coordination and balance. It can also make your bones healthier and daily chores easier. With a healthier diet and staying active can improve your chances of delaying or preventing diabetes. The American culture is constantly changing with the adding of the different ethnic and cultural groups. With these changes, the American culture is changing its food habits. If we are to bring this serious problem under control, we need to go back to the basics. It is time to go back to the healthier diet and become more active with exercises. References A.D. A. M., Inc. (2003). Diabetes. Walgreens Library. Diagrams retrieved June 24, 2009, from http://www.walgreens.com/library/contents.jsp'docid=000009&doctype=10 Davis, J. L. (2007). What diabetes can do to your body' WebMD. Retrieved June 22, 2009, from http://www,diabetes.webmd.com/diabetes-complications-9/risk-of-complications Donnelly, W. J., Fenelon, M. A., Giblin, L., & Stanton, C. (2008). Obesity, the food research Agenda. International Journal of Dairy Technology. 61 (1) 11. Abstract retrieved June 11, 2009, from ProQuest Direct database. Drewnowski, A. (2009). Obesity, diets, and social inequalities. Nutrition Reviews. 67 (S36). Abstract retrieved June 11, 2009, from ProQuest Direct database. Kulkarni, K. D. (2004). Food, culture, and diabetes in the United States. Clinical Diabetes. 22 (4) 190-192. Abstract retrieved June 11, 2009, from ProQuest Direct database. Larson, A. (2009). About the diabetic food pyramid. Diagram retrieved June 26, 2009, from http://www.diabetesvoice.net/content/diabetic-diet/about-diabetic-food-pyramid Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (2009, March 24). Type 2 diabetes in children. Retrieved June 11, 2009, from http://www.cnn/HEALTH/library/type-2-diabetes-in-children/DS00946.html Miller, B. (2007). Cultural Anthropology. Boston: Allyn & Bacon. Nestle, M. (2005). Preventing childhood diabetes; the need for public health intervention. American Journey of Public Health. 95 (9). Retrieved June 12, 2009, from ProQuest Direct database.