Free Screenings for Diabetes Offered

The American Diabetes Assn. is offering free tests throughout Ventura County.

Diabetes occurs when a person’s body does not produce or properly use insulin, a hormone needed to convert sugar, starches and other foods into energy, according to ADA spokeswoman Leslie Cray.

If the disease doesn’t kill, it can lead to blindness, heart disease, stroke and kidney disease if untreated.

In Ventura County, an estimated 47,000 people have diabetes and don’t know it, said county Health Officer Gary Feldman, adding that in the area it is the third leading cause of death among African Americans, fourth among Latinos and Asians, and eighth among whites.

This year alone, the illness will kill about 178,000 people nationwide, according to the ADA.

The cause of diabetes is unknown, but both genetics and environment appear to play a role in both types of diabetes.

The insulin-dependent type is an immune-system disease in which the body does not produce insulin and occurs in children and young adults who must take daily insulin injections. Warning signs include frequent urination, unusual thirst or hunger, weight loss, fatigue and irritability.

The second type of diabetes is non-insulin dependent and is a metabolic disorder resulting from the body’s inability to make enough or properly use insulin. Warning signs for this more common type include those from the first type as well as blurred vision, cuts or bruises that are slow to heal and tingling or numbness in the hands or feet.

Screenings are available at more than 40 sites during the ALERT campaign, which runs through March and part of April.

Call the American Diabetes Assn. at 685-2773 for information on diabetes or a listing of free screening sites.