The
Chinese-speaking immigrants who were surveyed . . . were
found to have less knowledge of how to manage their diabetes
. . compared with Asian American immigrants who preferred
to speak English.
Click HERE
for more info.
Asians
seem to suffer the same problems of obesity
without needing to gain as much weight as those in other ethnic
groups. When Asians gain weight, they often store fat mainly in
the abdomen (visceral). Like other immigrants, Asians who arrive
in America often begin eating more and getting less exercise than
they did in their native countries. Most start to gain weight and
so do their children. They also fall victim to advertising, that
junk food is good food…fast food will help feed the family
and is cheap, and oversized. High calorie American style foods are
rapidly replacing traditional foods on their tables. (3)
Studies showed that 14% of Asian children in New York are obese,
more than twice the rate among their parents. (2)
In
China the number of obese people has tripled since
1992 to 90 million, as Western food has become popular and prosperity
has made it possible to eat more. The World Health Organization
has warned that Asia faces a “tsunami” of Diabetes within
the coming decade, and have condemed the Chinese Government for
its slow response to their Diabetes Crisis. (2)
In Japan, the Health Message coming over the TV to their country
men is to not eat the Western Diet….cut down on the rice…park
your car…ride your bike and walk more.
Many
Asians have replaced traditional food with processed food, and
even Asian companies are selling processed foods that are not nutritionally
different from American processed foods, high in calories, starch and
fat. The food industry has honed their products to the children, and Asian
children are also persuaded to eat these foods, and so they do…and
so do we the Asian adults, and where is this leading us (Asians) to…..weight
gain….and diabetes.
The
AADI was established in 2000 by Joslin Research Director George
L. King, M.D., and friends of Joslin Diabetes Center, in recognition
of the growing challenge of diabetes in Asian Americans. Diabetes
disproportionately affects Asian Americans who are two times more
likely to develop the disease than Caucasians.
Our
Goals
To study diabetes
in the Asian American population and disseminate Joslin's research
findings to healthcare providers and Asian American communities.
To increase
diabetes awareness through innovative and culturally appropriate
educational materials.
To design
and implement clinical treatment programs for Asian Americans.
We,
Asian Americans, are a busy group
- hard working, some smoking, some drinking a little alcohol, but not
many of us paying attention to what we eat, when we eat, and exercise…
using the remote control is not exercise, neither is cruising the internet.
One day you noticed you have been really tired, no energy. After eating
a meal, you just have to take a nap…and thirsty always needing to
drink soda, juice, water, and like a child having to get up to use the
toilet several times during the night. Soon you notice that no matter
how much sleep you get….it is not enough…your spouse or significant
other complains about how you doze off and are no fun anymore. You
are exhibiting the classic symptoms of diabetes. Tiredness, lethargy,
thirst, increased urination, and if not corrected soon , you may have
some weight loss…and maybe a trip to the hospital because you are
dehydrated and weak.
Now
that you have been diagnosed with diabetes,
how do you feel? Scared, upset, can’t be me, (denial) depressed…probably
some or all of these feelings. I
felt the same way when I was diagnosed with diabetes 34 years ago. I went
into denial for about 2 weeks. No one in my family had diabetes…or
so I thought.
My
father was from Tokyo, my mother was born in America,
of Japanese immigrants. Hard working, but like many Asians never went
to a Doctor unless we had to. So everyone was surprised that I had diabetes…no
one spoke of it, nothing to be proud of. I was an R.N so I must know a
lot….they thought….not true…but I did learn a lot from
that day on. A few years later , my younger sister became a diabetic,
next my grandmother, my mother, and now my 2 brothers. When they say you
have such a sweet family, it is the truth.
