Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 27, Number 11, 1 November 2010 — Aloha mai kākou, [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Aloha mai kākou,

t is often said that the health of a Hawaiian nation depends on the heahh of its people. At the Office of Hawaiian Affairs that sentiment is more than a saying, it is a strongly held belief. For how ean the Hawaiian people truly flourish in the beauty of our culture, language, science, arts and traditions if our well-being is compromised? In this issue, we tackle Native Hawaiian heahh head-on with our cover story by Kathy Muneno, Diabetes Among Us. A diabetic myself, h is a story that I - and perhaps many other Native Hawaiians - ean relate to. Before diabetes ean be stopped it has to be understood. We couldn't think of a better time to bring attention to Hawaiians and diabetes than now. November is American Diabetes Month and the American Diabetes Association's movement to Stop Diabetes communicates the seriousness of the disease and the importance of prevention and control. Their campaign has again brought to light that Native Hawaiians are at high risk, six times as likely as Whites living in Hawai'i to die from diabetes, according to the Office of Minority Heahh.

Our heahh concerns don't stop there. Thirty percent of Native Hawaiians are more likely to be obese and to have high blood pressure, both precursors that ean lead to serious chronic diseases. Some leading causes of death among Native Hawaiians are cancer, heart disease, accidents, stroke and diabetes. The life expectancy of Native Hawaiians is as mueh as 12 years less than other ethnicities in the state. We need to change these statistics, and OHA has made it a priority to help improve the quality and longevity of life of Native Hawaiians. Our goal is for Hawaiians to enjoy healthy lifestyles and experienee reduced onset of chronic disease. Together we ean build a healthy Hawaiian nation, one person at a time. One need not look further than our own ancestors to see a shining example of a healthy, thriving nation. Traditional wellness incorporated pono - the right halanee of mind, body and soul. The traditional lifestyle was physically active and based on a simple nutritious diet that sustained a strong, industrious and healthy population. We ean all make healthier choices like having some fresh island fruit, going for a stroll outside or taking a dip in the glistening turquoise oeean. Through advocacy and education, OHA is helping

Hawaiian families actively improve lifestyle choices by engaging in health programs like weight

loss, diet and substance-abuse treatment. We support family development practices such as prenatal screening, early education and family oriented activities. Join us by taking that first step toward better heahh for you, your family and your community.

Me ka 'oia'i'o, LO. /Cfaoi^rClyde W. Nāmu'o Chief Executive Officer

MESSAGE FROM THE CEO