Eagle Books Expands to Middle School Students to Teach about Diabetes

Native News Network Staff in Native Health. Discussion »

Preventing Diabetes

ATLANTA -The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Division of Diabetes Translation announced the availability of an entertaining new novel that engages tweens aged 10 to 13 in learning how a healthy lifestyle can help prevent type 2 diabetes.

"Coyote and the Turtle's Dream," the first in a series of three books primarily for middle schoolers in American Indian and Alaska Native communities, builds on storytelling traditions honored in the original Eagle Books series for younger children. Animal and human characters return from the original series with an expanded list of characters that includes family members, teachers, store owners, other residents of a small reservation town - and an elderly box turtle. Building on the dialogue about preventing type 2 diabetes promoted in the original books, "Coyote and the Turtle's Dream" introduces the character of Arianna, a young girl living with type 1 diabetes.

The animals lead the children into a mystery/adventure, embedded with messages about healthy eating and physical activity, in which they foil the plans of a fossil poacher on their reservation. Native youth and tribal leaders reviewed the book prior to publication and their comments are featured on the book cover and inside pages.

Type 2 diabetes is becoming more common in communities everywhere, including American Indian and Alaska Native communities. Native Americans aged 10 to 19 are developing type 2 diabetes at higher rates than youth in other racial and ethnic groups of this age. In part because type 2 diabetes is often associated with being overweight or obese, many tribal communities are dedicated to engaging youth and families to reclaim traditional ways of health such as being physically active and eating healthy local foods.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention works to prevent type 2 diabetes through education and community outreach, supporting culturally relevant initiatives such as those of the Division of Diabetes Translation Native Diabetes Wellness Program.

posted December 1, 2011 6:00 am est