LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION memorializing Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to
proclaim March 22, 2016, as Diabetes Alert Day in the State of New York

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize official
days that are set aside to increase awareness of health issues that
affect the lives of citizens of New York State; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-
standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to memorial-
ize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim March 22, 2016, as Diabetes
Alert Day in the State of New York in conjunction with the observance of
National Diabetes Alert Day; and
WHEREAS, Diabetes is a metabolic disease in which the body's inability
to produce any or enough insulin causes elevated levels of glucose in
the blood; nearly 30 million children and adults in the United States
have diabetes, with 1.4 million Americans diagnosed each year; and
WHEREAS, A true epidemic, 29.1 million Americans, or 9.3 percent of
the population, have diabetes; 1.4 million Americans aged 20 years or
older are newly diagnosed with diabetes each year, which means 3,835
individuals are diagnosed each day, or one every 23 seconds; and
WHEREAS, Individuals age 65 years or older make up 11.2 million of
those Americans suffering with diabetes; that is 25.9 percent of all
people in this age group; and
WHEREAS, Furthermore, approximately 208,000 people younger than 20
years have diabetes (type one or type two); this represents .25 percent
of all people in this age group, or about one in 400; 18,436 youth are
newly diagnosed with type one diabetes annually, as well as 5,089 newly
diagnosed with type two diabetes annually; and
WHEREAS, The prevalence of diagnosed diabetes in the United States has
increased by 128 percent from 1988 to 2008, and if this trend continues,
as many as one in three American adults will have diabetes in 2050; and
WHEREAS, Diabetes is the primary cause of death for 69,071 Americans
each year, and contributes to the death of 234,051 Americans annually;
and
WHEREAS, It is imperative that there be greater public awareness of
this health issue, and more must be done to increase activity at the
local, state and national levels to improve health and healthcare
outcomes for those affected by diabetes; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim March 22, 2016, as
Diabetes Alert Day in the State of New York; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of the State of New
York.