News Release

PREVENTING DIABETES AND HEART DISEASE BEGINS BY RAISING CHILDREN WITH A HEALTHY WEIGHT

Winnipeg, June 3, 1999 - Obesity is a major risk factor for developing both diabetes and heart disease - the number of people with diabetes in an unhealthy weight range is double that found in the population without diabetes. The risk of heart disease and stroke is twice as high in diabetic men and three to four times as high in diabetic women.

Ninety percent of people with diabetes have type 2 diabetes. Obesity is a major controllable risk factor for type 2 diabetes. Canada has the third highest rate of childhood obesity in the world. Children who are obese will likely become obese adults.

The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada supports the International Conference on Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) as one way of highlighting the serious, debilitating results of not living a healthy lifestyle. Although CVD is the number one cause of death in Canada, over 300,000 Canadians ages 35 to 64 continue to live with heart disease. More than a third of these need help with household tasks or personal care. Many live with pain, chronic conditions and a restricted lifestyle.

A symposium on Obesity, Diabetes and Cardiovascular Risk is scheduled for Sunday June 6, 1999, from 8:00 AM to 9:50 AM at the Winnipeg Convention Centre during the ICDC.

The International Conference on Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease
is being chaired by Dr. Aubie Angel, President of the Diabetes Research and Treatment Centre in Winnipeg, and Dr. Narjanan S. Dhalla, Director of the Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences.

Approximately 300 doctors and scientists from Canada, the United States, Japan, Hong Kong, Europe and India are expected to attend.

For more information and to book interviews, please contact:

Barbara Steele, Heart and Stroke Foundation, (613) 569-4361 Ext. 318   cell (613) 859-6903
Sandi Krawchenko (204) 255-6700   cell (204) 291-4422

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