WHEREAS, Diabetes is a chronic disease for which there is currently no known cure and is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States; and
     WHEREAS, Individuals with Type 1 diabetes cannot produce any of their own insulin needed to help regulate sugar and food stores in the body; and
     WHEREAS, Individuals with Type 2 or adult onset diabetes cannot produce enough of their own insulin and often do not exhibit symptoms in the early stages of the disease; and
     WHEREAS, The serious long-term complications of high blood sugar levels may include blindness, lower-extremity amputation, heart disease, kidney failure, and premature death; and
     WHEREAS, In recent years, the number of individuals diagnosed with diabetes has increased forty-one percent; and
     WHEREAS, Nine out of ten individuals who are newly diagnosed with adult onset diabetes also suffer from obesity; and
     WHEREAS, America is facing a diabetes epidemic, as an estimated 20,800,000 Americans are living with the disease nationwide; and
     WHEREAS, Diabetes is a leading health problem in Washington with an estimated 427,000 adult residents currently living with the disease; and
     WHEREAS, The keys to reducing the incidence of, and complications associated with, diabetes are education, early detection, control, and proper treatment; and
     WHEREAS, The earlier a person is diagnosed with diabetes and receives treatment, the better the person's chances are for avoiding diabetes complications; and
     WHEREAS, The first line of treatment recommended by all treatment standards is diet and exercise, and a healthy diet and the loss of excess weight can have a positive impact on the body's ability to fight off disease; and
     WHEREAS, It has been shown that modest weight loss may help to lower blood sugar and blood pressure and improve the level of fats in the bloodstream, which is beneficial to the treatment of diabetes and other metabolic diseases; and
     WHEREAS, Traditionally those at highest risk include older citizens who have a family history of the disease and who are overweight. However, in recent years there has been an alarming increase in the growing number of younger people who are being diagnosed with diabetes, which is attributed to lifestyle and excessive body mass;
     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That, in recognition of Diabetes Day at the Capitol, the Senate encourage individuals to seek early screening and early treatment and encourage health care providers to improve care for the control of diabetes and the treatment of major complications, to reduce the rate of diabetes and its complications among high-risk populations; and
     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That health care providers be encouraged to adopt generally recognized clinical practice guidelines such as the American Diabetes Association goals, recommendations, and standards that identify the reduction of body mass index, cardiovascular risk issues, and glycemic control as key factors to managing diabetes; and
     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That health care providers be encouraged, as they detect and treat the emerging diabetes epidemic, to engage in an aggressive program with their patients, including dietary counseling and exercise, measurements of body weight, and other associated risk factors; and
     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this resolution to the Washington State Medical Association, the Washington Department of Social and Health Services, and the Washington Department of Health.