[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 129, 114th Congress, 1st Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

 
Proclamation 9360 of October 30, 2015

National Diabetes Month, 2015

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

Approximately 1 out of every 11 Americans lives with diabetes. The
seventh leading cause of death in the United States, diabetes is a
serious condition that can lead to critical health issues such as heart
disease, blindness, and kidney failure, and can sometimes require
amputations of lower limbs. During National Diabetes Month, we recognize
the impact diabetes has on people's lives, and we rededicate our
talents, skills, and knowledge to preventing, treating, and curing it.
Type 1 diabetes often develops in youth and is a result of the body not
producing enough insulin. Insulin treatment and keeping blood glucose
levels as close to normal as possible can help people manage this
disease. Type 2 diabetes--the most common form--affects people of all
ages, though most frequently it is diagnosed in adults. However, type 2
diabetes has become increasingly prevalent among young people, largely
due to increasing obesity rates. African Americans, Hispanic Americans,
American Indians, and Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are at
particularly high risk of developing type 2 diabetes, as are people who
are overweight and those who do not participate in regular physical
activity. Taking diabetes medications as prescribed, getting plenty of
regular exercise, eating healthily, and controlling blood pressure and
cholesterol levels can help manage type 2 diabetes.

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Some people may experience higher than normal glucose levels, though not
at levels high enough to be called diabetes. Roughly 86 million
Americans have this condition, known as prediabetes--and for these
individuals the risk of developing type 2 diabetes can be mitigated with
exercise, healthy eating, and weight loss. Gestational diabetes is
another form of the disease, which can develop when a woman is pregnant.
Women with a history of gestational diabetes are at greater risk of
developing type 2 diabetes in the future. More information on diabetes,
as well as actions people can take to prevent, treat, and manage it, can
be found at www.NDEP.NIH.gov.
My Administration remains committed to supporting people living with
diabetes and to finding a cure for all types of the disease. The
Affordable Care Act now requires coverage of preventive services--such
as diabetes screenings for those who have high blood pressure or are
pregnant--at no additional cost. The law also ensures that individuals
are not denied health coverage based on pre-existing conditions.
Additionally, earlier this year I launched the Precision Medicine
Initiative, an effort aimed at bringing us closer to a cure for diseases
like diabetes by accelerating biomedical discoveries and providing
clinicians with new tools and knowledge to select which treatments will
work best for individual patients. In addition, through a comprehensive
and sustained effort, the First Lady's Let's Move! initiative is working
to put kids on a path to a healthier future by ensuring every family has
access to healthy, affordable food, and by helping kids maintain an
active lifestyle.
During National Diabetes Month, let us honor those we have lost to
diabetes by pledging our full support for those currently living with
it, and let us reinvigorate our resolve to find a cure. Together, by
drawing on the inherent ingenuity and innovation of our people, we can
advance the cause of treating this disease and safeguard the gift of a
long, happy, and healthy life for all of America's daughters and sons.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of
America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and
the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim November 2015 as
National Diabetes Month. I call upon all Americans, school systems,
government agencies, nonprofit organizations, health care providers,
research institutions, and other interested groups to join in activities
that raise diabetes awareness and help prevent, treat, and manage the
disease.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirtieth day of
October, in the year of our Lord two thousand fifteen, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and
fortieth.
BARACK OBAMA