Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services
Skip Navigation
Behavioral Health Children and Family Services Developmental Disabilities Medicaid and Long Term Care Public Health Veterans' Homes

Nebraska Diabetes Prevention & Control Program

Our mission is to reduce the impact of diabetes in Nebraska by promoting and improving the diabetes prevention, management, and education.

The NDPCP strives to educate persons with diabetes, their families, and health professionals. One of the primary functions of the NDPCP is to update information and training materials to ensure application of current knowledge and treatment of diabetes.

Diabetes in Nebraska
Approximately 99,000 people in Nebraska have diagnosed diabetes. There are many more who don’t know they have it.

PDF The Impact of Diabetes in Nebraska

Diabetes Newsbeat Newsletter

PDF Daily Food and Activity Log

PDF Nebraska Diabetes Consensus Guidelines

Audio MP3AUDIO (length 40:12)
Diabetes: What you should know!
Who is at risk for diabetes?
People over age 45 should be tested for pre-diabetes or diabetes. Those younger than 45 who are overweight and have another risk factor should ask their health care provider about testing. People are at greater risk of developing pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes if they:
  • Are age 45 or older
  • Have a family history of diabetes
  • Are overweight
  • Are inactive (exercise less than 3 times per week)
  • Are members of a high-risk ethnic population (e.g., African American, Hispanic/Latino, American Indian and Alaska Native, Asian American, Pacific Islander)
  • Have high blood pressure: 140/90 mm/Hg or higher
  • Have an HDL cholesterol less than 35 mg/dL or a triglyceride level of 250 mg/dL or higher
  • Have had diabetes that developed during pregnancy (gestational diabetes) or have given birth to a baby weighing more than 9 pounds
  • Have polysystic ovary syndrome, a metabolic disorder that affects the female reproductive system
  • Have acanthosis nigricans (dark, thickened skin around neck or armpits)
  • Have a history of disease of the blood vessels to the heart, brain, or legs
  • Have had higher-than-normal blood glucose levels on previous testing

What are the warning signs of diabetes?

  • Increased Urination
  • Increased Thirst
  • Increased  hunger
  • Unusual Weight Loss
  • Irritability
  • Fatigue
  • Nausea and Vomiting
  • Drowsiness
  • Itching
  • Blurred Vision
  • Tingling or Numbness in Hands or Feet
  • Skin Infections and Slow Healing Sores
  • Overweight

Some people with diabetes may not have any of the warning signs.

The best way to find diabetes is with a blood test. This test detects glucose levels in the blood. If you are at risk for diabetes or have any of the warning signs, have a blood test now. Ask your health care provider for more information.

Activities of the Nebraska Diabetes Prevention and Control Program

  • Developing a strategic plan to help guide diabetes prevention and control activities through Nebraska.
  • Providing technical assistance to community groups, health professionals, local governments, organizations, institutions, clinics and others who may be planning diabetes prevention and control activities.
  • Publishing the Diabetes Newsbeat newsletter.
  • Developing clinical care guidelines for use by health professionals who treat people with diabetes. These guidelines, called thePDF Nebraska Diabetes Consensus Guidelines were prepared in conjunction with  primary and specialty care physicians, diabetes educators, and representatives of major health care plans in Nebraska. Adult and Pediatric guidelines are available.
  • Participate in professional and public education campaigns of the National Diabetes Education Program (NDEP).  The NDEP offers a wide range of educational resources to help promote diabetes prevention and control in a variety of settings and in specific populations. The NDEP is sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease (NIDDK).
  • Collecting and analyzing data that describe the impact of diabetes in Nebraska.

Materials available from the Nebraska Diabetes Control Program

  • Nebraska Diabetes Consensus Guidelines
  • Take Charge of Your Diabetes (English & Spanish)
  • Nebraska State Diabetes Plan
  • Diabetes Newsbeat - Quarterly Newsletter
  • Diabetes Scorecard (English & Spanish)
  • Take Heart - Live a Healthy Latino Life ( English and Spanish)
  • Living in Balance - In Native American Tradition
  • Take Heart - And Live a Healthy African American Life (English & Spanish)
  • Diabetes and the 12 Months of Pregnancy (English & Spanish)
  • Many People Have Diabetes Do You?
  • Healthy Diabetes Recipes and More (English & Spanish)
  • Cooking for 1 or 2 and Sometimes More
  • Hello Neighbor Cookbook (English & Spanish)

Links to other resources

For more information, contact:
Diabetes Prevention and Control Program
Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services
P.O. Box 95026
Lincoln, NE 68509-5044
Phone: (402) 471-4411
1-800-745-9311 (ask for Diabetes Section)
E-mail: diabetes@nebraska.gov

Documents in PDF PDF format require the use of Adobe Acrobat Reader
which can be downloaded for free from Adobe Systems, Inc.

Disease Prevention & Health Promotion Page

Health & Wellness Page