Free diabetes screening offered to UF community

March 16, 2009

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — All University of Florida students, faculty and staff can receive a free diabetes screening from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 24 at the Reitz Student Union Colonnade.

The UF/Shands Diabetes Center of Excellence and other campus groups are participating in the American Diabetes Association’s 21st annual “Diabetes Alert!” to raise awareness about the warning signs of diabetes and offer healthy lifestyle tips to prevent Type 2 diabetes.

“Many people don’t realize the importance of getting screened, especially since diabetes can affect anyone regardless of age,” said Kathryn Parker, a consultant for the UF/Shands Diabetes Center of Excellence. “We received such positive feedback from those who attended the free screenings on World Diabetes Day in the fall that we decided to offer a screening again in the spring.”

“Diabetes Alert!” will continue to promote the message “Know Your Numbers,” which was part of the World Diabetes Day campaign initiated on Nov. 14, 2008. UF became the first university in the United States to light campus monuments blue in honor of World Diabetes Day. Organizers screened 529 people and distributed 1,000 self-screening kits. World Diabetes Day was introduced by the International Diabetes Federation and the World Health Organization in 1991 because of concern over the escalating cases of diabetes around the world.

According to the American Diabetes Association, diabetes affects one in four Americans of all ages, and millions have it and do not know it.

“Diabetes Alert!” is sponsored by the UF/Shands Diabetes Center of Excellence, Healthy Gators 2010 and students from the UF College of Medicine, College of Pharmacy and the Food Science and Human Nutrition Department in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences.

For more information about event details, please visit HealthyGators.hhp.ufl.edu or call 352-392-1161, ext. 4281.