It's hard to know for sure just how many Americans are diabetic – that's because millions of us don't know that we are. Various sources suggest anywhere from 22 to 26 million Americans have diabetes. The National Diabetes Education Program pegs the number at just shy of 26 million diabetics; 15.8 million who have been diagnosed, an estimated 7 million who haven't. That's more than 8 percent of the population.
Here in Texas, the percentages are even higher. The Texas Department of State Health Services' most recent report, suggests nearly 10 percent of adults in Texas have diabetes.
And then there's "pre-diabetes" – twice as many more people are at risk for developing the disease. And more and more, those at risk are younger and younger. The American Diabetes Association estimates one in three kids born after the year 2000 will develop diabetes in his or her lifetime.
On this edition of Houston Matters, we'll discuss the latest research and treatment taking place here in Houston related to diabetes. We'll welcome your questions for an endocrinologist with the Harris Health System and UT Health Science Center at Houston, and a researcher at Baylor College of Medicine.
Also: a lot can happen in a week. Some of it good. Some of it bad. Some of it downright ugly. When faced with intriguing developments in the week's Houston news, we turn to our rotating panel of decided "non-experts" to consider "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly" of it all. Today's panel features Houston Chronicle Metro columnist Lisa Falkenberg, "Business Makers Radio Show" founder and co-host Russ Capper, and "Texas Leftist" blogger Wayne Ashley. Lisa, Russ, and Wayne join Craig to discuss passenger increases at Houston's airports, efforts to spur trade between Houston and South Africa, make-up days scheduled for Houston students who received "snow days" when it didn't snow, and a study underway examining the health benefits of walking to and from new Houston transit stops.
Plus: a conversation with contemporary dance choreographer Carolyn Dorfman. She and her dance company are in town for performances this weekend as part of Dance Month at the Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community Center.
