North Birmingham Regional Library Hosting Diabetes Education Workshop November 12

Dr. Larrell Wilkinson, a UAB assistant professor, will lead a discussion about diabetes at 10:00 a.m.. November 12

The North Birmingham Regional Branch Library's Tuesday Mornings @ The Library presents " Look at Diabetes" on Tuesday, November 12, 10:15 to 11:00 a.m.

 Coffee and light refreshments will be served at this free program.

The speaker, Dr. Larrell Wilkinson, will lead an in-depth discussion of diabetes, a devastating disease that afflicts millions of Americans. Dr. Wilkinson is an assistant professor at the University of Alabama-Birmingham's Department of Human Studies and the UAB Nutrition Obesity Research Center.  

Dr. Wilkinson is also co-owner of WELLKM LLC, an agency that supports businesses and organizational efforts to flourish within their communities. In his talk, Dr. Wilkinson will share tips on proper eating habits and exercise that can help lower the risk of diabetes. In his professional capacity, he does research that emphasizes promoting active living, stress management, healthy eating, and getting necessary sleep for good health.

About 84.1 million Americans have pre-diabetes, and 9 out of 10 of them don't even know they have the disease. African-Americans have a high risk for Type 2 diabetes. Over 50 percent of Type 2 diabetes is preventable. The Alabama Public Health Department says Alabama has the third highest prevalence of diabetes in the nation. 

Diabetes is one of the leading causes of kidney failure, non-traumatic limb amputations and blindness in adults. Direct medical costs and lost productivity is estimated to be $327 billion a year, according to a study by the United Health Foundation.   

A certified health education specialist and health coach, Dr. Wilkinson does research at the University of Alabama-Birmingham and outreach efforts to support health improvement among the African-American community. He has worked in various capacities in public health and research, including interning at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. He is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the USC Institute for Partnerships to Eliminate Health Disparities.

At UAB, Dr. Wilkinson's primary research interest focuses on the reduction or elimination of health disparities through community engaged research. Dr. Wilkinson and his wife, Khalia, have three children.