This year, we asked our Fans on Facebook
to help choose our cash grant recipient.
Hundreds of you responded and selected
the American Diabetes Association!
On race day, Tufts Health Plan will present a $10,000 donation to the American Diabetes Association.
The Tufts Health Plan 10K for Women annually inspires thousands of women to embark on fitness plans that include healthy diets, cardiovascular training, and daily exercise. The American Diabetes Association routinely promotes being active as a big part of living a healthy lifestyle and reducing the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
On race day, Tufts Health Plan will present the 2011 $10,000 cash grant to the American Diabetes Association at the Boston Common. Founded in 1940 as a medical association for physicians, research scientists and health care professionals, the American Diabetes Association has grown into one of the largest and most respected charities in the country.
In 2009 the Association conducted research about diabetes awareness and understanding in the United States and found that most Americans were under-informed or misinformed about diabetes – despite the fact that the disease had grown to epidemic proportions. In response, the Association launched a national movement to Stop Diabetes® – with the goal of gathering the support of 1 million Americans each year to help confront, fight and most importantly, stop diabetes.
Diabetes can be especially hard on women. The burden of diabetes on women is unique because the disease can affect both mothers and their unborn children. Diabetes can cause difficulties during pregnancy such as a miscarriage or a baby born with birth defects. Women with diabetes are also more likely to have a heart attack, and at a younger age, than women without diabetes.
For women who do not currently have diabetes, pregnancy brings the risk of gestational diabetes. It is estimated that gestational diabetes develops in 18 percent of all pregnancies, but disappears when a pregnancy is over. However, women who have had gestational diabetes or have given birth to a baby weighing more than 9 pounds are at an increased risk for developing type 2 diabetes later in life.
By remaining active and running races like the Tufts Health Plan 10K for Women, you can not only help yourself, you can serve as a role model for our youth. Instilling these healthy lifestyle behaviors in children can go a long way toward improving modifiable risk factors and quality of life.
Being overweight is one of the leading modifiable risk factors for type 2 diabetes. According to the latest estimates, 64 percent of Americans are considered overweight or obese. The rate of obesity among children has tripled since 1980. Currently 16 percent of children ages 6 to 19 years—a total of 9 million youths—are overweight. Along with obesity, other risk factors for type 2 diabetes include family history and lack of physical activity.
For information about diabetes or the American Diabetes Association, please visit www.diabetes.org. To determine your risk for having pre-diabetes or type 2 diabetes use this tool.
