July 10, 2013

Top 10 Take Aways from ADA 2013 – Part Two

I recently attended the 73rd American Diabetes Association (ADA) Scientific Sessions in Chicago, June 21-25 where brilliant and dedicated researchers and health care professionals from around the globe gather to learn, share and connect. As a diabetes educator involved in the diabetes field nearly 35 years and counting, I was once again wowed by this meeting...and learned a ton!

Though tough to choose, here are my top 10 take aways from the 2013 ADA meeting - divded into Part One and Part Two:

6. Delivering Improved Diabetes Care and SUPPORT Using Technology: It’s been said before and was said again and again this year, people with diabetes (and prediabetes) need ongoing and consistent support. As Marti Funnell, MS, RN, CDE said, “If we don’t address the emotional side of diabetes we won’t ever improve outcomes. It is an imperative!” And as Ed Fisher, PhD, of Peers for Progress (link) said, “Humans have fundamental need for support and social connections.” People not only need emotional support to manage this disease, but research clearly shows that to make the necessary health behavior changes and implement the management strategies for good control, people also need support. See #10 – The DOC.

The good news is today we have technologies, from Skype, to online systems, to tracking devices, telehealth tools, and more to come in the future, to incorporate important support systems. And numerous studies presented at ADA again showed that people do better with support…and that we can deliver this conveniently to people and more cost effectively.

 
October 24, 2012

Let’s Look Ahead From Look AHEAD

Have you heard that the Look AHEAD (Action for Health in Diabetes) randomized controlled trial conducted through National Institutes of Health (NIH) was ended two years ahead of schedule? This news crossed my eyes first on 10/20/2012 via twitter. Got to love twitter!

The press information from the NIH’s National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), announced on 10/19/2012 that the trial had been stopped about a month earlier – in September. Why? Because in this long and lengthy trial, in which people had been enrolled for up to 11 years, the people in the intensive lifestyle intervention (ILI) group did not experience a decrease in cardiovascular events (CV) (heart attacks, strokes, etc.) compared with the people in the control group. 

The Key Look AHEAD Question…and Answer
Can an intensive lifestyle intervention program (ILI) which achieves and maintains weight loss help prevent/delay the heart and circulatory problems which are the most common complications of type 2?