About 7 percent of the general population has diabetes, McNamara said.; Hispanics who have strong American Indian ancestry may be vulnerable to diabetes because about 50 percent of all Indians develop diabetes, McNamara said. Also, the high-fat diet of many Hispanics leads to obesity, which seems to trigger diabetes, McNamara said.; Eighty percent of Hispanics over 40 who are diagnosed as diabetic are overweight, she said.; The clinic Saturday will focus on three ways to manage diabetes -- diet, exercise and medication. Participants will learn that traditional dishes can be just as tasty -- but healthier -- when made with unsaturated fats, and that exercise will reduce weight, which in turn will lower the possibility of contracting diabetes.; "There is no magic pill to cure diabetes. You have to manage your own diabetes, and we're teaching people how to take care of themselves," McNamara said.; The hospital and the diabetes society are sponsoring neighborhood diabetes programs for Hispanics, which are taught by bilingual instructors.; The programs, which first began in 1984, are aimed at people who speak only Spanish or people who are more comfortable receiving instruction in that language.; "We found that the regular programs that we started years ago were not reaching the monolingual Spanish-speaker," McNamara said.; IF YOU'RE INTERESTED; The diabetes management program for Hispanics will be from 9 a.m. to noon at St. Louise Health Center, 18500 St. Louise Drive, off Cochrane Road in Morgan Hill. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. Further information is available from the Diabetes Society of Santa Clara Valley at (408) 287-3785..
Americans in the united States are two to three times more likely to develop diabetes than the general population . Heredity and diet seem to be important factors in a diet that affects 14- 21 % of Hispanics and up to 40 % of those 64 to 75 years of age , compared to 7 % of all Americans . Heredity , a high fat diet and obesity are predisposing factors , especially in those with American Indian ancestry . Management include nutrition , exercise and medication . The St. Louis Health Center in Morgan Hill , California is developing a diabetes management program for Hispanic diabetics .