Page 16 - Desk of the Imam

Desk of the Imam Magazine April 2018

For one, a high amount of fat intake can be a huge of the causes of diabetes in the African American
risk factor for diabetes 2. My parents both have diabetes Community. There is one piece missing to this puzzle
2 (which is common in African Americans) and their and that is the affects of diabetes. "Compared to white
parents and grandparents Americans, African Americans experience higher rates
of diabetes complications such as eye disease, kidney
suffered from diabetes as well. The manifestation of failure and amputations." Some other factors that
diabetes in my family history is not surprising to me, influence these complications are high blood pressure,
primarily, because my mother with massive amounts of cigarettes smoking and lack of exercise It is unfortunate
oil and sugar. My mother generally cooks with palm oil, that so many diabetics, particularly African Americans
which is notorious for clogging the arteries, which can do not exercise.
put people at greater risks for high bloods pressure,
diabetes and obesity. According to ADA (American In the NHANES survey, "Fifty percent of African
Diabetes Association), "Many African Americans who American men and sixty-seven percent of African
have diabetes know they have it, but continue their same American women reported that they participated in little
diet." That statistic holds true for my parents, who to no leisure time physical activity." There is obviously
know they have diabetes, yet continue to eat with the still a sense of apathy in many Americans, particularly
same amount of oils, sugars African Americans when it
and fats as before. comes to caring for
diabetes. In this report, I
Poor diet is risk of have revealed several
diabetes amongst all aspects of the "African
ethnicities, particularly the American culture" that can
African Americans. African contribute to the high
Americans reportedly have a diabetes risk in the African
higher sugar and fat diet and American community. The
tend to neglect eating risks include, excess
vegetables and fruits. Last amounts of oils and sugars
summer, I worked at a camp, in food, improper dieting
which was predominantly and apathy towards treating
African American. At every meal, the campers were the disease. Diabetes is a major disease in all ethnicities,
given a main entree with vegetables and fruits as side particularly in African Americans and can be deadly if
dishes. What disturbed me the most about the meal was not treated properly. If the cycle of diabetes is to lessen,
that the campers never ate their vegetables nor were in the African American community, people have to
they encouraged to eat them. When many children see take the approach to eat right and exercise, or else the
their parent and peers consuming more sugar and fat diabetes will continue to run rampant throughout the
and less fruits and vegetables, they are often going to do community. The end.
the same. Thus, the cycle of diabetes continues through
the family lineage.
The common finding that diabetes runs in the families Place your ad here
indicates there is a strong genetic component to type 1
and type 2 diabetes." Some researchers believe that For information on suggested
inheritance of diabetes, specifically diabetes 2 is more
apparent in the African Americans community, than any donations for ad space email
other race. African American children have most
recently been reported as being more susceptible to Desk of the Imam at
diabetes 2 than whites. Researchers also believe that
"African Americans inherited a "thrifty gene" from their DeskoftheImam@gmail.com
African ancestors." This "thrifty gene" enabled
"Africans during the "feast and famine" cycle, to use
food energy more sufficiently once food was scarce."
However, today the "thrifty gene" that was meant for
survival makes African Americans more susceptible to
diabetes type 2 So far in this report, I have given some

Masjid Al-Hamdulillah | Desk of the Imam 16