Colorado School of Public Health News and Stories

The Center for American Indian and Alaska Native Diabetes Translation Research (CAIANDTR) seeks to translate research of proven efficacy into clinical and community settings, with the goal of improving prevention and treatment of diabetes in Native populations. The CAIANDTR Pilot & Feasibility Program is pleased to announce the availability of funding to support research consistent with this mission.

The Pilot & Feasibility Program provides support for early-stage investigators (ESIs) committed to conducting translational research related to diabetes in American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian (AI/AN/NH) populations.

Colorado School of Public Health | June 27, 2023

American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN) have traditional food and nutrition practices that support holistic health. However, these traditional practices have been interrupted by Western food systems, which has led to disproportionate rates of type 2 diabetes (T2D) among AI/AN communities. Nutrition education interventions are particularly effective when developed to meet the needs of specific communities and when they emphasize strengths-based, culturally relevant healthy dietary practices. A research brief  in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, shares the results of a successful culturally adapted, online diabetes nutrition education program for AI/ANs. The implications of the findings have guided program changes for improved diabetes nutrition education.

Colorado School of Public Health | February 13, 2023

Type 2 diabetes continues to be a leading chronic disease in the United States, affecting 1 in 10 adults and is a serious issue for employers and employees alike. In response to providing employers with the tools to support employees, Health Links™, a program based at the Center for Health, Work & Environment, has developed and hosted trainings and education forums, provided technical assistance through advising sessions, and performed outreach activities over the past three years to address the negative impact of chronic disease in the workplace.

Sarah Levine | September 28, 2022

For more than 25 years, Dr. Dana Dabelea has devoted herself to studying a disease that has steadily solidified a foothold in the United States.

Tyler Smith | December 30, 2021

American Indian adults have a diabetes prevalence of 15%, the highest of any racial or ethnic group. Their likelihood of dying from diabetes complications is more than 50% over that of their non-Hispanic White counterparts. Health-related quality of life is a measurement of health that encompasses physical, psychological, and social aspects of health and it has been to shown to be negatively impacted by type 2 Diabetes. A recent systemic review showed that the presence of complications, hypertension, depression, and type of diet were associated with worse health-related quality of life, however, American Indians were not included in this analysis. A new study explores the relationship between psychosocial factors and health-related quality of life for American Indians by describing functional social support, emotional support, coping, resilience, post-traumatic stress disorder, and health-related quality of life. It also investigates the association between psychosocial factors and health-related quality of life among American Indians living with diabetes.

Colorado School of Public Health | April 10, 2021

The incidence and prevalence of diabetes mellitus is on the rise. Lifestyle modifications such as weight loss, increased physical activity, and dietary change have all been shown to decrease rates of incident diabetes; however, some people will still progress from prediabetes to overt diabetes despite achieving weight loss, physical activity goals, or dietary changes. This pattern was observed in the Diabetes Prevention Program, a randomized trial that included an intensive lifestyle intervention arm. An understanding of how personal characteristics affect how an individual reacts to lifestyle modifications could assist in targeting diabetes prevention. A recent study from the Colorado School of Public Health examined how genetic risk for diabetes modifies the association of successful lifestyles changes with incident diabetes.

Michelle Kuba | January 04, 2021

Despite the increased availability of diabetes technology, new therapies and more aggressive glycemic targets, today’s youth and young adults with diabetes in the United States are not demonstrating improved glycemic control compared to their counterparts from years past. Most notably, many age groups have worse glycemic control compared to youth and young adults from 2002-2007. Researchers revealed these data today at the American Diabetes Association’s® (ADA’s) 80th Virtual Scientific Sessions in a study entitled “Trends in Glycemic Control among Youth with Diabetes:

The SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth Study.”  The SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth (SEARCH) study began in 2000 with funding from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). It represents the largest, most diverse study of diabetes in youth in the U.S. Currently, SEARCH has more than 27,000 participants across racial and ethnic backgrounds from 10 different states visiting one of five study centers in the country (California, Colorado, Ohio, South Carolina, Washington). 

“This large, active registry and cohort study of youth diagnosed with diabetes before the age of 20 enables researchers to make assessments of prevalence, annual incidence, and trends by age, race/ethnicity, sex, and diabetes type,” said SEARCH principal investigator and study co-author Dana Dabelea, MD, PhD, director of the Lifecourse Epidemiology of Adiposity and Diabetes (LEAD) Center and the Conrad M. Riley Endowed Professor at the Colorado School of Public Health. “The SEARCH findings have contributed to a better understanding of the complex and heterogeneous nature of diabetes in youth.” 

In the current analysis, researchers examined trends in glycemic control in 6,492 SEARCH participants who had diabetes for more than one year. Participants’ visit data was categorized into three time periods: 2002-2007, 2008-2013, and 2014-2019. In addition, participants were categorized into three groups based upon their duration of diabetes (1-4 years, 5-9 years, and more than 10 years), as well as by age group (10-14 years old, 15-19 years old, 20-24 years old, and 25 and older). Stratified multivariable regression models were used to test differences in hemoglobin A1c (A1c) over time. Adjustments were made for site, age, sex, race/ethnicity, health insurance status, and disease duration. 

Results of the study indicated:

Colorado School of Public Health | June 16, 2020

While Colorado may be the skinniest state, reports indicate that our state’s residents, both adults and children, are growing more and more obese each year, while both type 1 and type 2 diabetes have increased exponentially in our nation’s youth over the last decade. Researchers are now honing in on human developmental periods (in utero, neonatal, and early childhood) and environmental factors as possible culprits. 

Colorado School of Public Health | December 06, 2019

When Dana Dabelea, MD, PhD, was considering a move from Romania to work in diabetes research in the United States, she was drawn to the work of Richard Hamman, MD, DrPH, saying she was “inspired by his vision and the opportunities he created for diabetes research.” 

Kathleen Bohland | December 14, 2018

Organized by LEAD Assistant Directors Kate Sauder (Translation), Anne Starling (Environment), and Wei Perng (‘Omics), fifteen ‘lightning’ talks of three minutes each were presented. The topics ranged from molecular to community level exposures and outcomes. Small groups were formed at the end of the session to identify areas for collaboration and strategize on future directions.

Colorado School of Public Health | November 28, 2018

Dana Dabelea, MD, PhD, professor of epidemiology and director of the Lifecourse Epidemiology of Adiposity and Diabetes (LEAD) center at Colorado School of Public Health gave a video response about what was discovered in children during trials for diabetes medication.

Colorado School of Public Health | June 28, 2018

A broad-scale, five-state study published in the latest issue of the New England Journal of Medicine found that from 2002 to 2012, the yearly rate of newly diagnosed cases of both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes in youth increased significantly and steadily over the 10-year period, especially among Hispanic youth.

Colorado School of Public Health | April 13, 2017

A new report published in the Feb. 28 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association points to a significantly higher burden of diabetes-related complications in adolescents and young adults with type 2 diabetes compared to type 1 diabetes, with greater health complications in minority youth.

Colorado School of Public Health | February 28, 2017

"Exercise during pregnancy can keep weight gain in check, reduce your risk of gestational diabetes, decrease discomfort, and set you up for an easier labor and delivery. Now, new research shows that breaking a sweat, especially after 29 weeks, has a big benefit for your baby, too."

Colorado School of Public Health | April 18, 2016