Michigan Issues Unified Strategic Plan To Combat Diabetes

Comprehensive Plan Focuses On Public Awareness and Prevention

Michigan took a bold step forward today in its efforts toward combating diabetes by presenting its new Michigan Diabetes Strategic Plan.

The plan, developed by the Michigan Department of Community Health, the Michigan Diabetes Prevention and Control Program, the Michigan Diabetes Strategic Plan Task Force and its Steering Committee addresses issues related to diabetes care and prevention.

"Simple lifestyle modifications such as healthy eating, moderate exercise, and weight control have conclusively been shown to prevent Type 2 diabetes by up to 60 percent," said Dr. Kimberlydawn Wisdom, Michigan Surgeon General. "These solutions are low-tech and low cost, and yet they produce a high impact."

Wisdom said the plan also establishes a unified course of action among health care providers, public and private health officials, researchers, businesses, community groups, and people with diabetes to implement the most promising diabetes prevention and control strategies in the most cost-effective ways.

Some highlights of the report include:

• Expanding diabetes primary prevention activities;
• Developing an ongoing public awareness campaign;
• Developing a statewide diabetes consumer advisory group;
• Reducing diabetes-related health disparities among minority populations, and;
• Providing quality diabetes pregnancy-related care and education to women.

Download the strategic plan in PDF format?

• The cover page
• The main text
• The appendicies

Diabetes, a complex metabolic disease, is increasingly becoming a major public health challenge in the United States and Michigan.   Diabetes:

• Affects 17 million Americans and more than 750,000 Michigan residents;
• Costs the United States $132 billion annually and almost $6 billion per year in Michigan;
• Disproportionately affects some groups of people more than others - certain racial/ethnic groups, physically inactive people, overweight people and those who have a family history of the illness
• Is becoming more common among children (type 2 diabetes).

From left to right:
Mary Jean Klebba, Strategic Plan Steering Committee Co-chair;
Dr. Kimberlydawn Wisdom, Surgeon General;
Kris Ernst, CDC Division of Diabetes Translation; and
Mike Mawby, American Diabetes Association.