Bob Harper of NBC's 'The Biggest Loser' Partners With National Diabetes Experts to Help Americans 'Step Up' Their Diabetes Management

Bob Harper of NBC's 'The Biggest Loser' Partners With National Diabetes Experts to Help Americans 'Step Up' Their Diabetes Management

Expert Panel Introduces Recommendations for People with Type 2 Diabetes: '6.5 Steps Toward Better Blood Sugar Control'

NEW YORK, June 7 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) today announced a partnership with life and fitness coach Bob Harper to launch Diabetes & You: Step It Up to Get It Down, a major educational campaign designed to help Americans with type 2 diabetes better manage their disease. Harper and a panel of diabetes experts convened by AACE developed the easy-to-understand and motivational 6.5 Steps Toward Better Blood Sugar Control. The 6.5 Steps underscore the importance of reaching the AACE target A1C goal of 6.5% or less for most patients through the cornerstones of effective diabetes management -- eating healthy, being physically active, monitoring blood sugar, seeing your doctor or other healthcare professional, and, when appropriate, taking one or more medicines.

"Type 2 diabetes affects millions of Americans and is an epidemic," said Bob Harper. "Through my years of coaching and training, I've worked with many people with type 2 diabetes and seen how hard it can be to live with this condition. But I learned that anyone can change their life. It's all about finding the right tools and motivation. I'm challenging people with type 2 diabetes to step it up and use the 6.5 Steps Toward Better Blood Sugar Control. It's your body -- take charge today!"

In addition, a group of people with type 2 diabetes have accepted AACE and Harper's challenge to follow the 6.5 Steps to get their blood sugar under control. With personal coaching from Harper, these patients from across the country are embarking on a journey to better manage their disease. The campaign will follow the patients throughout the year, sharing their personal stories and reporting on their progress to motivate other people with type 2 diabetes to take steps toward better control.

Effective Diabetes Management and the A1C Test

The Diabetes & You: Step It Up to Get It Down campaign was developed in response to a first-of-its-kind report issued last year by AACE showing that two out of three Americans with type 2 diabetes analyzed in a study of over 157,000 patients were not in control of their blood sugar. The report offered important information about blood sugar levels among type 2 diabetics throughout the United States, as determined by the A1C test, which measures a person's average blood sugar levels over the previous two to three months. The A1C test complements blood sugar monitoring that patients do on their own, which shows a blood sugar level at the time the test is taken.

AACE recommends an A1C of 6.5% or less for most patients. This is significant because when A1C levels rise above 6.0%, a person's risk is elevated for serious -- and potentially life-threatening -- diabetes-related complications, such as stroke, heart attack and loss of limbs. It is important, however, that people with type 2 diabetes speak with their doctor or other healthcare professional about setting their own personal A1C goal. One or more medicines may be prescribed to help control blood sugar as a complement to healthy eating, regular physical activity and blood sugar monitoring.

"Diabetes, more than almost any other disease, depends greatly on the actions of the patient to manage the disease and reduce the risk of long-term complications," said Paul S. Jellinger, M.D., M.A.C.E., Past President of the American College of Endocrinology and Past President of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists. "The 6.5 Steps Toward Better Blood Sugar Control will provide patients with a guide that can be realistically adapted as part of their daily routine. These recommendations will also empower patients to partner with their doctor or other healthcare professional to make better health choices and bring their diabetes under control."

The 6.5 Steps Toward Better Blood Sugar Control

The following abbreviated version of the 6.5 Steps Toward Better Blood Sugar Control is the centerpiece of AACE's newly launched national diabetes educational campaign Diabetes & You: Step It Up to Get It Down, designed to help type 2 diabetes patients better manage their disease.

1. Be honest with yourself. Diabetes can be tough, but it doesn't have
to control you.

2. Think about your reasons for living a healthier life and feeling
better. Always keep them in mind.

3. Team up with your doctor or other healthcare professional to make a
plan. This plan may include taking one or more medicines. You are in
this together with the same goals.

4. Make healthy eating and regular physical activity part of your life.

5. Check your blood sugar as often as your doctor tells you and know your
A1C number. A1C is your average blood sugar level for the past 2 to 3
months.

6. No quitting. Not today. Not tomorrow. Never give up!

6.5. The HALF STEP - Getting started is HALF the battle!!!

* To view the expanded version of the 6.5 Steps Toward Better Blood Sugar
Control, visit http://www.stepitupdiabetes.com/.

The Diabetes & You: Step It Up to Get It Down Expert Panel

AACE convened a panel of experts for a diabetes summit meeting in New York City to discuss the current state of diabetes management and develop the 6.5 Steps. Members of the expert panel include:

* Bob Harper, life and fitness coach from NBC's "The Biggest Loser"

* Paul S. Jellinger, MD, MACE, Past President, American College of
Endocrinology and Past President, American Association of Clinical
Endocrinologists

* Fred A. Williams, Jr., MD, FACP, FACE, National Chair, Public and Media
Relations Committee, American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists

* Mary M. Austin, MA, RD, CDE, Immediate Past President, American
Association of Diabetes Educators

Free Education Materials and Sweepstakes

Anyone interested in learning more about better diabetes management can call 1-877-6-5-STEPS or visit http://www.stepitupdiabetes.com/. People with type 2 diabetes can also sign up online to enter a free sweepstakes and become eligible to receive great prizes, including one-on-one telephone coaching with Bob Harper and a year-long gym membership.

About Type 2 Diabetes

Over 18 million people in the United States have type 2 diabetes, the most common form of diabetes. Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body does not produce enough insulin or does not respond properly to its own natural insulin, a condition called insulin resistance. Insulin helps the cells convert blood sugar to energy. When sugar builds up in the blood instead of going into the cells, it can starve the cells of energy and over time, high blood sugar levels can cause diabetes-related complications, affecting the eyes, kidneys, nerves or heart.

Properly managing diabetes by controlling blood sugar levels may prevent or slow the progression of many diabetes-related complications. To reach recommended blood sugar levels, many people with type 2 diabetes need to take medication to help control their blood sugar levels, and many need to take more than one medication to help treat the disease in different ways.

Patients should work closely with their healthcare team to reach their own A1C target. The healthcare team is an important partner in diabetes management. With continued encouragement and access to reliable information, patients can take a more active role in their own health and in the long-term management of their condition.

About the Campaign Sponsors

AACE is a professional medical organization consisting of over 5,300 practicing clinical endocrinologists devoted to furthering patient care in the field of endocrinology. AACE is committed to transforming the lives of patients by enabling one another to practice leading edge, proactive, ethical and cost effective medicine.

All members of AACE are fully licensed physicians and fully trained in endocrinology. The majority are board certified in internal medicine and subspecialty certified in adult or pediatric endocrinology. AACE members are recognized clinicians and educators, and many are affiliated with medical schools and universities. Members contribute on a regular and continuing basis to the scientific literature on endocrine diseases and conduct medical education programs on this subject.

For more information on AACE, please visit http://www.aace.com/ or http://www.powerofprevention.com/.

GlaxoSmithKline has provided funding and other support to AACE for the Diabetes & You: Step It Up to Get It Down campaign. GlaxoSmithKline, one of the world's leading research-based pharmaceutical and healthcare companies, is committed to improving the quality of human life by enabling people to do more, feel better and live longer.

Source: The American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists

CONTACT: Nicole Wilhelm of American Association of Clinical
Endocrinologists, +1-904-353-7878, Ext. 147; or Bora Lee of Cohn & Wolfe
Healthcare, Cell +1-401-965-4526, Office +1-212-798-9522

Web site: http://www.stepitupdiabetes.com/
http://www.aace.com/
http://www.powerofprevention.com/

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