Diabetes, Race, and Poverty

At the cruel intersection of genetics, poor diet, obesity and poverty, a new epidemic is unfolding in the United States. Diabetes is now the country's leading cause of adult blindness, lower-limb amputation, kidney disease and nerve damage.

Two- thirds of diabetics die from heart attack or stroke. Type 2 diabetes — once known as "adult-onset" diabetes — is now afflicting waves of poorly-fed, overweight children. One in three American kids and one in two Latinos born in the last five years is now expected to get it in their lifetime.

It's hard to talk about this epidemic because personal decisions shaped by public trends and poverty are at the heart of it.

Hear about America's revealing epidemic of diabetes.

Guests:

N.R. Kleinfield, reporter for The New York Times;
Dr. James Gavin, Clinical Professor Of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine and Executive Vice President of Clinical Affairs at Healing Our Village, a disease management and health education company. He is immediate past chair of the federally-funded National Diabetes Education Program and past president of the American Diabetes Association;
Dr. Enrique Caballero, Director of the Latino Diabetes Initiative and Associate Medical Director of Professional Medical Education at Joslin Diabetes Center;
Dr. Valentine Burroughs, Chief Medical Officer of North General Hospital in East Harlem and a practicing endocrinologist.