SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio Metropolitan Health District is reminding people now is the time to act when it comes to health.
Survey results from 2014 show 14 percent of Bexar County adults were diagnosed with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. That's higher than the state average at 10.6 percent and the national average at 9.3 percent.
Gonzalo Nieto, 68, was diagnosed as pre-diabetic 16 years ago, but he didn't let it stop him from making changes to his diet and exercise.
"Now, people eat just frozen stuff. They just put it in the microwave and they don't care. You got to stay with more vegetables, more healthy stuff," Nieto said.
He took advantage of learning more about the disease in a free city-run workshop, because it runs in his family.
"(I) learned a lot. How to control your sugars and all that," Nieto said.
Newly released numbers from Metro Health show just under 1 million adults are classified as overweight or obese. Those people are at risk for diabetes and other health problems, according to Chronic Disease Prevention Manager Kathy Shields.
"We just want to help people learn about (it), understand and just to know we can do something about this," Shields said.
Perhaps some of the most shocking statistics show those who earn less than $25,000 a year or who don't have a high school diploma are more at risk for diabetes, according to Metro Health.
Having diabetes nearly doubles the chances of having a heart attack. It can also cause kidney failure, blindness, stroke and other serious health complications.
The city offers free diabetes self-management workshops. For more information, call 210-207-8802 or visit the diabetes prevention website. More information about the partnerships with the YMCA's diabetes prevention program and the Y Living Program can be found at DiabetesHelpSA.com.
Below is a Bexar County Diabetes Fact Sheet courtesy of the city of San Antonio. Click here to see it in Spanish.