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..
Saturday Hispanics can attend a free half-day clinic to learn how to manage diabetes. Heredity and diet appear to be the reason that 14% to 21% of Hispanics -- and up to 40% in the 64-75 age group -- contract diabetes. The clinic will focus on diet, exercise and medication with particular emphasis on cooking with unsaturated fats. The high-fat diet of many Hispanics leads to obesity which seems to trigger diabetes. The hospital and the diabetes society are sponsoring the clinic which will be taught by bilingual instructors. Previous programs dating back to 1984 were not reaching the monolingual Spanish-speaker.