For years the way to diagnose diabetes has been to draw a blood sample and check the glucose count, either fasting or random (any time of day). Two high levels on two different days and the diagnosis of diabetes was made. Glucose tolerance tests went by the wayside years ago other than for diagnosing gestational diabetes.

I’m just back from the American Diabetes Association 2009 Scientific Sessions and feel compelled to shout out to all who will listen, especially parents of younger and older children and people on their way up the scale, that more and more research points to the many damaging impacts of excess pounds on long term health. Fat is not simply excess pounds of inactive tissue.

On 5/13 President Obama, in his effort to keep healthcare reform on the front burner, sent a few deputies on a mission: find the best private-sector employee wellness and prevention practices in an effort to help other companies and federal workplaces implement these. I bet one of best practice that will be an element of each success story will be programs utilizing technology-based solutions (telephonic, intranet, internet, hand-held device, etc.) to provide frequent and chronic support.

The 2010 Dietary Guideline committee is continuing their work on revising the 2005 Dietary Guidelines. The full committee held their third meeting on April 29 – 30, 2009. I attended the meeting via webinar, as did all observers. The meeting began with a series of talks by invited experts, such as Brian Wansink, PhD, Frank Sacks, MD, and more. The remainder of the meeting revolved around presentations of the subcommittee reports. Attending meeting #3 again proved to be enlightening and educational.