Free screenings Jan. 25 in Novant Health’s “war” on high blood pressure, prediabetes and obesity

Novant Health will conduct free screenings for the community tomorrow, Saturday, Jan. 25 at Manassas Mall, in the JC Penney Court from 1 to 4 p.m. as the opening salvo of its war against high blood pressure, prediabetes and obesity.

A news release said this is part of a multi-year, system-wide community health initiative designed to “create an epidemic of health and wellness.”

According to the news release, one out of every three Americans age 20 and older has prediabetes. Additionally, one in three has hypertension and more than one-third of U.S. adults are considered obese. Serious health implications can include organ and nerve damage, loss of limbs and blindness.

These three health conditions combined account for approximately $266 billion in annual U.S. medical costs and contribute to hundreds of thousands of deaths per year.

While proper detection and management can reverse these consequences, an overwhelming majority of adults with prediabetes and high blood pressure are unaware of their conditions.

Carl S. Armato, president and CEO of Novant Health, was quoted as saying, “Prediabetes, obesity and high blood pressure are leading factors in two of the biggest killers in America: heart disease and stroke. By focusing on intensive screening and appropriate education efforts in our communities, we can encourage a new kind of epidemic: health and wellness.”

Ophelia Garmon-Brown, MD, family physician and senior vice president with Novant Health. was quoted as asking “Yet, how many ask their doctor to rule out prediabetes, regularly check their blood pressure or take real action when their weight creeps up to obese levels?  The answer is very few. Our message is simple but powerful: Small changes can really make a big difference.”

A recent landmark study supports this claim. The prestigious medical journal The Lancet reported that people at risk for diabetes can lower their risk of heart disease nearly 10 percent by walking just one mile per day.

Novant Health plans to screen 500,000 people in inpatient, outpatient and community settings to personally evaluate their risk factors for developing diabetes, heart disease and stroke.