National Diabetes Month, 2014

Proclamation 9204 of October 31, 2014

National Diabetes Month, 2014

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

Today, nearly 30 million Americans have diabetes. This
devastating disease affects men and women of all
backgrounds and ages, and can cause serious health
complications, including blindness, kidney failure,
heart disease, stroke, and the loss of lower limbs.
During National Diabetes Month, we stand with all those
battling this chronic, life-threatening disease and
their families, and we pay tribute to the advocates,
researchers, and health care professionals who are
committed to supporting healthy lifestyles in
communities across our country.

Most commonly diagnosed in young people, type 1
diabetes has no known method of prevention. However, it
can be managed with regular exercise, good nutrition,
and proper medication. Type 2 diabetes accounts for
roughly 90 to 95 percent of diagnosed cases of diabetes
in adults, and the risk of developing it is commonly
associated with older age, obesity, physical
inactivity, and a family history of diabetes. African
Americans, Hispanic Americans, American Indians, and
some Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are at
particularly high risk for this disease and its
complications. In some cases, losing weight, eating
healthy, and being more active can help prevent or
delay type 2 diabetes. Americans who are at risk for
this disease can consult with a health care provider to
discuss the steps they can take to reduce their chances
of developing diabetes.

My Administration is committed to finding a cure for
both type 1 and type 2 diabetes, and we continue to
invest in critical research to prevent this disease,
increase the quality of care, and reduce its
devastating complications. Established to help
translate the important findings of this research into
practice, the National Diabetes Education Program works
to raise awareness of this disease among high risk
individuals and to improve treatment and outcomes for
those living with it. To learn more about diabetes,
individuals can visit www.NDEP.NIH.gov.

The Affordable Care Act prevents health insurance
companies from denying coverage due to a pre-existing
condition, such as a diabetes diagnosis, and requires
that insurers cover recommended diabetes screenings
without a copay for adults with high blood pressure. My
Administration also encourages public-private
partnerships that are helping Americans at risk of type
2 diabetes take action to prevent the onset of the
disease. And as more than one-third of American
children and adolescents are overweight or obese--
putting a new generation at risk for diabetes--First
Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move! initiative seeks to
increase opportunities for young people to engage in
physical activity and make healthy choices.

All Americans deserve the chance to lead healthy lives
and achieve their full potential. During National
Diabetes Month, we honor the memory of those we have
lost to diabetes, and we recommit to pursuing solutions
that will shed light on this disease, moving our Nation
closer to a healthier tomorrow for all.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the
United States of America, by virtue of the authority
vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the
United States, do hereby proclaim November 2014

as National Diabetes Month. I call upon all Americans,
school systems, government agencies, nonprofit
organizations, health care providers, research
institutions, and other interested groups to join in
activities that raise diabetes awareness and help
prevent, treat, and manage the disease.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
thirty-first day of October, in the year of our Lord
two thousand fourteen, and of the Independence of the
United States of America the two hundred and thirty-
ninth.