“How many of you have diabetes or have a family member or friend with diabetes?” asked Dr. Tomas Villanueva, speaking at a public health lecture Friday evening at the new hospital.
Dr. Villanueva said he wasn’t surprised when everyone in the room raised a hand.
Diabetes is the top cause of heart disease – the number one cause of death in the Virgin Islands – blindness, amputation and kidney failure, and it costs the United States economy around $100 billion a year in health care expenses, the doctor said.
“Luckily, it’s preventable,” he said, adding that exercise and proper nutrition can help people avoid the chronic disease.
Avoiding white bread, white rice, white flour and other starches, as well as sugary foods and drinks, is the most important component of staying diabetes-free, he explained.
See the Oct. 2, 2014 edition for full coverage.
{fcomment}