IL HR1276

November is American Diabetes Month; approximately 1,325,000 people in Illinois (12.5% of adults) have diabetes, with Asian Americans comprising 7.8% of the state population.

Asian Americans are over 30% more likely to have diabetes than white Americans and face disproportionate risk at lower body mass indexes, with current screening guidelines at BMI 25kg/m² missing 36% of diabetes cases in Asian Americans over 45.

The 2015 American Diabetes Association guidelines and World Health Organization recommend screening Asian Americans for type 2 diabetes at a BMI of 23kg/m² instead of 25kg/m², which would identify over 9,222 additional diabetes cases in Illinois.

The House of Representatives endorses the "Screen at 23" campaign and urges the Illinois Department of Public Health to support increased diabetes awareness and appropriate screening measures for Asian American communities.

The Illinois Department of Public Health is urged to encourage all public and private health providers to participate in Screen at 23 efforts to eliminate health disparities among Asian Americans.