LAS VEGAS — The Southern Nevada Health District (SNHD) is calling attention to the seriousness of diabetes while urging people to get tested for the disease and learn about free, self-management programs. More than 37 million Americans have diabetes, the eighth leading cause of death in the U.S. and the primary cause of kidney failure, lower limb amputations and blindness. People with diabetes also face a higher risk of developing serious complications from flu and COVID-19.
An estimated 269,783 people in Nevada, or nearly 11 percent of the adult population, have been diagnosed with diabetes, and an additional 70,000 people have the disease but don’t know it. An estimated 18,749 Nevada residents are newly diagnosed with diabetes every year. The prevalence of diabetes among adults in Clark County is currently 9.8%, equivalent to 234,342 residents. This marks a 15.4% increase in adults with diabetes since 2011.
Throughout the year, SNHD’s Office of Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion offers free diabetes self-management, education and support classes. Classes, taught in English and Spanish, are available in person or online. Upcoming classes in English are scheduled for Wednesday, March 20, and Wednesday, March 27, from 2 – 4 p.m. at SNHD’s Main Public Health Center at 280 S. Decatur Blvd., Las Vegas, NV 89107. Classes in Spanish are set for Monday, March 11, and Monday, March 18, from 10 a.m. – noon, at the same location. To register, call (702) 759-1270 or email gethealthy@snhd.org. Fill out the diabetes self-management workshop form to be placed on a waiting list for future diabetes workshops.
Other programs and resources include the Road to Diabetes Prevention, SNHD’s online diabetes prevention program, which is available in English and Spanish at no cost on the Get Healthy Clark County and Viva Saludable websites or by calling (702) 759-1270. Additionally, the Nevada Diabetes Directory, which provides information about classes, prevention, low-cost clinics, specialists and support groups is available in English and Spanish on the Get Healthy Clark County website.
SNHD also offers organized tours of a grocery store to learn about food labels, healthy dietary choices and meal planning. Guided by a registered dietitian, the tours (available only in Spanish) are designed around key departments where shoppers can boost their intake of healthy foods such as fruits and vegetables, dairy, whole grains and more. The tours are scheduled for March 27 at 5:30 p.m., April 22 at 10 a.m. and May 21 at 5:30 p.m. at Marketon Supermarket, 840 N. Decatur Blvd., Las Vegas, NV 89107. Space is limited and registration is required. Call (702) 759-1270 or email vivasaludable@snhd.org.
SNHD urges people to take the diabetes risk test at 60-Second Risk Test for Type 2 Diabetes| ADA to find out if they are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes. For more information on diabetes, including risk factors, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website at Diabetes Basics | CDC.