WHEREAS, In the United States, diabetes has reached epidemic proportions. In
Pennsylvania
alone, more than 450,000 residents have been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes and many others remain undiagnosed or untreated; and
WHEREAS,
The self reported prevalence of diabetes among adults in Philadelphia is higher than in any of the other surrounding counties; and
WHEREAS, People with diabetes – more than 90% of whom have Type 2 diabetes – can not make enough or properly use insulin, a hormone that is necessary for converting sugar, or glucose, into energy; and
WHEREAS,
Elevated blood sugar levels are associated with a number of serious complications such as heart attack, stroke, blindness, amputation, and kidney disease; and
WHEREAS, A1c – a test that measures blood glucose levels over a two to three-month period – is considered the standard for assessing blood sugar control; and
WHEREAS, An A1c level below 7% is the goal established by the American Diabetes Association (ADA) and achieving this level is important to help reduce the risk of complications. However, more than half of Americans with diabetes undergoing treatment have unacceptably high blood sugar levels; and
WHEREAS, There is a great need for the community at large to commit to ensuring that diabetes is properly monitored and treated in the United States; and
WHEREAS, We must help the population living with diabetes to live a healthy life with diabetes as well as aim for, believe in, and achieve an A1c of less than 7%; and
WHEREAS, If a patient has an A1c level higher than
7% we must ensure that they are taking advantage of every possible resource to achieve their target A1c levels; now therefore
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That we hereby challenge all Philadelphians affected by diabetes - whether practitioners, educators, policy-makers, patients or caregivers - to pledge their commitment to help ensure that those with diabetes are living healthier lives.
End