First the bad news — it's no surprise Tennessee ranks 46^th in the nation for rates of diabetes with only four states faring worse. Tennesseans' continuing struggles with weight and active lifestyle choices have been well documented. However, there has been some good news in recent months.

 

In the latest Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) survey, fewer residents report having been told by a healthcare provider that they have diabetes. In the 2008 BRFSS survey, 10.3 percent of Tennessee's respondents answered "yes" to having ever been diagnosed with diabetes. This figure compares to 11.9 percent of respondents in 2007 and 10.7 percent in 2006.

 

"We are encouraged by these findings and hope they indicate that more Tennesseans are taking simple steps such as increasing physical activity and eating more healthfully, which can reduce the risk for diabetes," said Tennessee Department of Health Commissioner Susan R. Cooper, MSN, RN. "We know this is one data point, but it's one of the first good data points we've had around diabetes," she commented. "Reducing rates of diabetes will go a long way in improving Tennessee's overall health status."

 

It should be noted, however, that a small margin of statistical error exists in each year's estimates, which could account for the apparent decline. Still, it is a small sign of improvement.

 

For those who do have the chronic disease, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ranked Tennessee first in the nation last year for the numbers of adults with diabetes who monitor their blood glucose levels daily. A nationwide survey on self-monitoring found that 78.2 percent of adults in Tennessee with diabetes reported daily monitoring of blood glucose in 2006, which is a 25.8 percent increase from 1997. This jump compares to a 22 percent increase nationwide between 1997 and 2006.

 

Cooper credits the state's efforts to expand primary care services across Tennessee and to educate and empower residents through initiatives such as Get Fit Tennessee and Project Diabetes as giving people the necessary information and tools to manage or prevent diabetes.