While Daley’s Urban Initiatives team reviewed its 5-4-3-2-1-Go! lesson after practice in the gym, the No Child Left Behind committee was down the hall having a health lesson for parents, with a healthy breakfast to start the day off right! As a Healthy Places school, Urban Initiatives has been working to provide workshops for parents on topics that can help them embody a healthier lifestyle.
The parent group identified diabetes awareness and prevention as a topic that they were interested in learning more about, as it is one of the leading health concerns in the community around Daley. Diabetes disproportionately affects minority groups. On average, Hispanics are 1.5 times as likely to have diabetes as Whites; African Americans are twice as likely. This article from the Office of Minority Health gives a clear outline of diabetes as a nation-wide epidemic. Lizette, the presenter from Alivio Medical Center, led an engaging discussion that gave an overview of why diabetes is a risk, described the symptoms and difficulties of living with diabetes, and explained how people can take proactive steps to change habits that can lead to diabetes.
Socioeconomic factors in communities where Urban Initiatives works often put residents at a higher risk of developing diabetes. Basic lifestyle changes including exercise and healthy eating can help manage weight and reduce the risk. It turns out that a good mantra for diabetes prevention sounds a lot like what our soccer players were shouting in unison just down the hallway:
5 servings of fruits and veggies!
4 servings of water!
3 servings of low-fat dairy!
2 hours or less of screen time!
1 hour or more of physical activity!
