Muncie Times, Muncie, Delaware County, 18 March 2004 — Page 10

Page 10 • The Muncie Times • March 18, 2004

WITNESS FOR JUSTICE

Children of Color in real danger of Type II

Diabetes Children watch more and more television (and children of color watch more television than their Euro-American peers) they are less likely to exercise. Those who sit at computers also are not moving. And many school districts, facing financial difficulties, have cut back on physical education classes. Moreover, nearly 10 percent of African American youth are likely to have health-related activity limitations, making it more likely that they will have other health problems. All of this means that our children, especially children of color, are in real danger. Children as young as 4 are now being diagnosed with diabetes and, according to the American Diabetes Association, diabetes are "approaching epidemic proportions" in our teens. For instance, Hispanic children have a higher incidence of Type II diabetes than white children and nearly one-third of Hispanic children are overweight. Asian American children are twice as likely to have Type II

Diabetes as Euro-American children, a reflection of the change in diet of this generation of Asian Americans. Diabetes is a serious problem among Native Americans of All ages, where the rate of Type II Diabetes is more than double that of the general population. Our children are in danger because diabetes usually leads to other life threatening health complications. A Canadian study of 51 Native Americans who developed diabetes before age 17 found that three were on dialysis because of kidney failure, one was blind at age 26, one had a toe amputated, two had died of heart attacks and 21 of 56 pregnancies had ended in miscarriage or stillbirth. Many of the teens who now have diabetes have diseases once reserved for older. American such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol. This can all be prevented. If we stop feeding our children junk food, high carbohydrate diets and soft drinks and, instead, fee them more vegetables, fruits and milk.

If we exercise regularly with our children and grandchildren (it won't hurt our health either). If we get our churches, mosques and temples to start exercise programs for our youth. If we limit the amount of television our children watch each week. If we get our schools to get rid of soft drink machines and get healthier foods in school cafeterias and make sure the recess and physical education is back in the school day. Type II diabetes could become the most dangerous disease to attack our children since polio. There's not a vaccine that can prevent this disease, but ther^ are lifestyle changes that (;an. It's up to us. For the sake of our children and our children's children. Let's get busy. Bernice Powell Jackson is executive minister of the United Church of Christ's Justice and Witness Ministries. You can contact her at 700 Prospect Ave., Cleveland, OH 44115-1110 or by phoning 216-736-3700

Dr. Na’im Akbar Come see who Essence Magazine acclaims as, “one of the world’s preeminent psychologists and a pioneer in the development of an African-centered approach in modern psychology.” His message is clear and simple, yet provocative and well grounded: Black people in America are “crazy.” Not so much individually, but cultrually. Tuesday, March 23rd, 2004 - Student Center Ballroom - 7:00 p.m.

Bernice Powell Jackson

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You’re not heauing sc th to Florida this year for spring hr ak ? School’s

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Come to the Muncie toil;. YMCA for a fun filled week of games, basketball, soccer, arts & crafts and other daily activities.

Also during spring break the YMCA offers a “Learn to...* series of programs giving FREE tennis, swim and climbing lessons on a first-come, fee-served basis.

Sponsored by: Alpha Phi Alpha, Campus Activities Fun Board, Collective Coalition of Concerned Clergy, Department of Psychological Science, & Multicultural Center