[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 130, 114th Congress, 2nd Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

 
Proclamation 9532 of October 28, 2016

National Diabetes Month, 2016

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

More than 29 million Americans have diabetes--a disease in which the
glucose levels in one's blood are higher than normal. Although the rate
of new cases is falling, the numbers are still alarming. Diabetes is one
of the leading causes of death in the United States and results in
staggering health and financial costs for Americans. With a concentrated
effort to reduce the number of new diagnoses and improve treatment and
care for those living with this disease, we must continue making
progress in the battle against this epidemic. Each year during National
Diabetes Month, we resolve to support everyone battling this chronic
disease, and we recommit to fighting it so that more Americans can lead
a healthy life.
Diabetes can affect individuals of any age, gender, or background
depending on risk factors, which can include a combination of genetics
and lifestyle. Type 1 diabetes, often diagnosed in youth, affects people
whose bodies do not produce enough insulin, a hormone needed to live.
Type 2 diabetes occurs in people who are not able to produce enough
insulin to meet their body's needs, and typically develops in adults--
however, more young people today are being diagnosed with type 2
diabetes than ever before, and it is more commonly diagnosed among those
who are obese or inactive. Both types can lead to health problems such
as heart disease, blindness, and kidney failure. Additionally, roughly
one-third of American adults have prediabetes--a condition in which
their blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to
be diagnosed with diabetes--placing them at higher risk for other health
conditions or for developing type 2 diabetes. Another form of diabetes,
known as gestational diabetes, can develop in pregnant women, create
complications during pregnancy, and increase chances of developing type
2 diabetes later in life for both mothers and their children.
Type 1 diabetes accounts for a smaller proportion of diagnosed cases of
diabetes; over 90 percent of all diagnosed cases are type 2 diabetes.
Individuals with type 1 diabetes need to monitor their blood sugar
levels and take insulin every day to survive. Diabetes has no cure, but
people with type 2 diabetes can manage their disease by following a
healthy meal plan, increasing physical activity, taking prescribed
medications, and quitting smoking if applicable. For individuals with
prediabetes or overweight individuals at higher risk of diabetes, losing
weight through healthy eating and regular physical activity can help
prevent or delay type 2 diabetes. Americans with any type of diabetes
should get regular checkups and work with health care professionals to
learn more about this disease. Individuals at higher risk--particularly
those who are overweight, older than 45, or have a family history

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of type 2 diabetes--should talk to their health care providers about
their diabetes risk. African Americans, Hispanic Americans, American
Indians, Asian Americans, and Pacific Islanders are also at higher risk
of developing type 2 diabetes. I encourage all Americans to visit
www.NDEP.NIH.gov to find resources available through the National
Diabetes Education Program to help make and sustain healthy lifestyle
and behavior changes.
Over the last 8 years, my Administration has worked to provide better
care, prevention, and treatment for anyone suffering from diabetes. The
Affordable Care Act (ACA) has required that insurers cover preventive
services such as certain diabetes screenings without copays or
deductibles, and seniors can now receive these screenings free of charge
as well. Insurance companies can no longer deny individuals coverage
because of a pre-existing condition, including a family history of
diabetes, and children can now stay on a parent's health insurance plan
until age 26. By supporting the Diabetes Prevention Program--the first
preventive service model eligible for expansion under Medicare--the ACA
has improved the quality of care, reduced health care costs, and helped
prevent the onset of diabetes.
Nearly one in three American children is overweight or obese, causing a
rise in the prevalence of type 2 diabetes among children. Unless we act,
approximately one-third of all children born since the turn of the
century will suffer from diabetes during their lifetimes. The First
Lady's Let's Move! initiative has worked to reverse this childhood
obesity trend and put children on a path to a healthy future during
their earliest years by fostering environments that support healthy
choices; promoting physical activity; providing healthier foods in our
schools; and ensuring families have access to nutritious, affordable
foods and the information they need to make healthy choices. We have
also harnessed the American spirit of innovation through our Precision
Medicine Initiative: By tailoring treatments to individuals based on
personalized information such as genetics, we can move closer to curing
diseases like diabetes and give more Americans the opportunity to live
full, healthy lives.
Every year, too many Americans experience the consequences of diabetes--
but in part because of the dedication of our Nation's health care
providers, researchers, and advocates, we have made important strides in
combating this disease, and we have reason to hope this progress will
continue. This month, let us work to show every individual living with
diabetes that they are not alone, and let us continue strengthening our
investment in the fight against this disease.
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 2016 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 twenty-eighth day
of October, in the year of our Lord two thousand sixteen,

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and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred
and forty-first.
BARACK OBAMA