Diabetes and Poor Reading and Math Skills

Today, I read an eye-opening article by Andrew Curry in "Diabetes Forecast" magazine. He wrote, "...90 million American adults have trouble reading; 110 million have trouble with basic math. The estimated 21 million diabetics and 54 million pre-diabetics have a compounded problem.

Researcher Dr. Russell Rothman, MD, MPP at Vanderbilt University has learned that poor literacy and numeracy (the math equivalent of literacy) make it difficult for diabetics to effectively manage their nutrition and care. Reading and understanding the info on the package label is challenging enough; having to calculate total carbs and total fat as well as total calories can cause many to give up.

If I eat half a bag of chips, how many carbs is that? Now I have to calculate percent of daily allowance - Yikes.

I now have a better understanding of why it is so difficult for many Americans to control their blood glucose and weight.

What is a solution? How can we help?