The ABC’s of Diabetes

The good ol’ days of ABC picture books and prancing through the alphabet song are some of the most enjoyable times in our childhood lives. How can we take these past times and turn them into educational tools to improve our employees’ health and reduce the health care costs for our company? One answer: guide your employees through the ABC’s of diabetes.

Of the seven most chronic conditions affecting Americans, diabetes is caused by poor lifestyle choices 91% of the time¹, while other chronic diseases such as cancer and stroke are caused by poor lifestyle choices 75% of the time or less. And, according to the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, 8.3% of the U.S. population, or more than 25 million people, are affected by the disease. Employers can bend this trend by educating and implementing programs to support your employees.

The National Diabetes Education Program outlines the following metrics in order to help lower your chances of having a heart attack, stroke or other diabetes problems:

“A” for the A1C test. This test specifically shows your blood glucose levels, which should generally be below 7.

“B” for Blood pressure. High blood pressure can lead to heart attack, stroke and even kidney disease. The goal blood pressure level for most of your employees will be 130/80.

“C” for Cholesterol. The LDL goal for most people is less than 100, while the HDL goal for most people is above 40.

Knowing that health care costs for a diabetic employee are 2.3 times higher than your non-diabetic employees², providing basic education and offering wellness incentives will not only improve productivity but will lend favorably towards your bottom line. For additional tools and ideas for your company’s wellness program, contact your Neovia Account Manager today.

-Thoughts provided to you by Madalyn Gordon, Brand Advocate of Neovia.

¹Stampfer, 2000; Platz, 2000; Hu, 2001
²Diabetes Care. 2008 Mar;31(3):596-615