LOCAL DIABETES RISK vs

IN OUR TRI-COUNTY AREA, DIABETES IS SUCH A MAJOR HEALTH RISK THAT THE UNITED WAY OF SANTA CRUZ COUNTY HAS SPEARHEADED THE FORMATION OF A REGIONAL DIABETES COLLABORATIVE. A FORUM ON DIABETES WAS HELD IN WATSONVILLE EARLIER THIS YEAR. AS A RESULT AN ACTION PLAN IS NOW BEING DEVELOPED TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM. SANTA CRUZ COUNTY HEALTH OFFICER (DOCTOR DAVID MCNUTT) SAYS THE DISEASE HAS BEEN CHOOSING VICTIMS DISPROPORTIONATELY. HIGHER NUMBERS OF LATINO, BLACK AND NATIVE AMERICANS ARE VICTIMS OF THE DISEASE, THAN THE REST OF THE POPULATION. CLOSE TO HALF OF THE CHILDREN BORN TO THOSE SUSCEPTIBLE POPULATIONS IN 2000, WILL GO ON TO DEVELOP DIABETES. THE COST OF TAKING CARE OF DIABETES PATIENTS IN OUR TRI-COUNTY AREA IS ESTIMATED AT OVER 3 HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR.