NIDDK Director Encourages People to Talk about Health History at Family Gatherings
Jan 03, 2012
In an interview with NIH Radio, Dr. Griffin Rodgers, director of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), stressed the importance of knowing family health history and noted that holiday gatherings are a great time to find out yours. Many diseases — including diabetes — run in families. If you have a mother, father, sister, or brother with type 2 diabetes, you are at risk for developing the disease. Dr. Rodgers also shared helpful ways to stay healthy despite all the stress and travel during the holiday season
During the interview, Dr. Rodgers provided the following advice:
- Take advantage of holiday gatherings to find out your family health history.
- Family history can’t be changed; but you can lower your risk for diabetes and other diseases by making a plan with your health care team to lose weight and be more active.
- During the holidays, carve out time to eat healthy and be active.
- At holiday events, focus on friends and family instead of the food.
- Saving up for a big meal may actually cause more harm than good.
- Watch your alcohol intake for hidden calories.
