In November 2021, the County of Los Angeles Board of Supervisors adopted a motion to proclaim November Los Angeles County Diabetes Awareness Month. The main objective was to create a means of educating youth and their families about ways to prevent or manage type 2 diabetes, which currently effects 90-95% of all people with diabetes. As a result of this motion, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health was asked to partner with the Los Angeles County Office of Education, K-12 school districts, and community-based organizations to improve access to healthy meals at schools. This included efforts to reduce food waste and provide culturally relevant resources about diabetes awareness and prevention.
With input from the Los Angeles County Office of Education and other stakeholders, Public Health developed a Diabetes and Prediabetes Awareness Toolkit, which will support existing education codes that require schools to provide type 2 diabetes information to students. Gasol Foundation is proud to be included in this initiative- our feature can be found on page 8 of this toolkit. This Diabetes and Prediabetes Awareness Toolkit will be shared with various schools across the county, thus allowing us to empower even more children through healthy habit promotion.
Components of the toolkit include a description of type 2 diabetes and prediabetes, low and no-cost resources for schools, including nutrition education and physical activity curricula, resources to create a healthy school environment, implementation guides on reducing food waste by establishing share tables, and resources for schools to improve worksite wellness among teachers and staff. The toolkit also includes sample announcements for parents and students.
To view the the Diabetes and Prediabetes Awareness Toolkit click here
