An Early Warning Sign

Diabetes Deaths in California Legislative Districts
STUDY DOCUMENTS

DISTRICT-SPECIFIC FACT SHEETS:
Political Boundary:


Select Assembly District:
Fact Sheets are available for each individual legislative district.
Click here to find out which legislative district you live in.
POLICY BRIEF
An executive summary of the study, the findings, and policy recommendations. (12 pages, 568kb)

FULL POLICY REPORT
A full report providing background information about diabetes, and a full description of research methods, findings, and policy recommendations. (116 pages, 4.14MB)
OVERVIEW. California is in the midst of an unprecedented diabetes epidemic; far more adults and children have the disease than ever before. The increase in diabetes among adults and the emergence of Type 2 diabetes in children are associated with a dramatic rise in obesity and overweight in recent years. Projected future increases in both diabetes and overweight forecast staggering increases in chronic health conditions and overwhelming personal, social, and economic hardship in the years to come.

THE STUDY. To understand the burden of diabetes in California communities, the California Center for Public Health Advocacy analyzed diabetes-related deaths in a unique way — by state legislative district. In 2004, we published the policy brief An Early Warning Sign: Diabetes Deaths in California Legislative Districts.

This analysis complemented the Center's 2002 and 2003 studies on the prevalence of overweight and unfit children in California’s Assembly and Senate districts and provides insight into the relationship between diabetes and overweight. For more information, please see our Press Release and Press Kit. You may also read the full report here.

LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT FINDINGS. Findings from the study indicate that districts with higher diabetes-related death rates also tend to have a higher prevalence of overweight and unfit children. This finding suggests that community conditions may be a significant factor in overweight and diabetes. In particular, the study found the following:

  1. There is considerable variation in diabetes-related death rates among legislative districts.
  2. Legislative districts in three regions—Los Angeles County, the Central Valley, and southwest San Bernardino County—have the highest diabetes-related death rates.
  3. Three racial/ethnic groups—African Americans, Latinos and American Indians/Alaska Natives—have the highest burden of diabetes-related deaths.
  4. The diabetes-related death rate in California increased every year from 1996 to 2000.

Click on the links below for a summary of rates for all legislative districts:

  • Assembly: Rates for all 80 assembly districts.
  • Senate: Rates for all 40 senate districts.

Fact sheets on each assembly and senate district are available by clicking on the appropriate box in the Study Documents table.

MAPS. Summary maps are available for Assembly Districts and Senate Districts.

POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS. Unless action is taken, millions of Californians—both children and adults—will be sentenced to a future of chronic health problems and early death. In addition to the human suffering, California families and businesses will face unparalleled increases in long-term health care costs. With this report, the California Center for Public Health Advocacy called on policy makers throughout the state to take immediate action. An Early Warning Sign included many recommendations including the following:

  • Marketing and advertising of unhealthful foods and beverages to children should be restricted.
  • Chain restaurants should be required to provide nutrition information on display boards and menus.
  • All Californians should have access to high-quality health care to prevent, delay, manage, and treat diabetes. Diabetes-related benefits currently provided by public and private health insurance plans should be retained.
  • The Governor should declare the epidemics of diabetes, overweight, and obesity a top priority.

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Support for this project was provided by a grant from The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation®, Princeton, New Jersey