ARIZONA (By Carol Sowers, Arizona Republic) April 24, 2004 - For the first time, the American Diabetes Association's annual exposition, which showcases ways to combat and control the disease, will have a decidedly Latin flavor.

A special pavilion featuring Hispanic stars, bilingual information, diabetes-fighting recipes and free health screenings will be part of the expanded eighth annual May 1 trade show at Phoenix Civic Plaza.

The ADA's expo last year drew about 5,500 people, "but we weren't reaching the high-risk groups," said Suzanne Miller, the group's director.

Hispanics, African-Americans and Native Americans are far more likely than non-minorities to be diagnosed with the disease that afflicts nearly 270,000 in Arizona and 18 million nationwide. Hispanics are the fastest-growing of the high-risk groups in Arizona and that makes them a target market for bilingual diabetes education, Miller said.

The expo will focus, in part, on the power of diet and exercise to control Type 2 diabetes, which usually appears after age 45 and is on the rise even among children, said Sherydin Brown, trade-show director.

By contrast, Type 1 diabetics have often had the disease since childhood and use insulin to prevent their blood sugar from spiraling out of control.

The legacy of the disease in both groups can be heart disease, kidney failure, amputations, slow healing, blindness and strokes. Despite those risks, "diet and exercise is not music to everyone's ears," Brown said.

In the pavilion, Phoenix Baptist Hospital Chef Jeff Mason will offer recipes and samples of diabetic-friendly dishes for Latin tastes.

And there will be talk about the dangers of gestational diabetes, which can show up in the later stages of pregnancy, causing high blood pressure and complicating delivery with an overweight fetus.

Maria Gastelum, 25, said she knew nothing about the importance of diet and exercise in controlling gestational diabetes until her doctor sent her to free classes at Phoenix Baptist Hospital.

"I ate mostly meat," she said, "Almost no fruits and vegetables."

She changed her diet and began walking 25 minutes per day five days a week.

She gave birth March 16 to a healthy daughter and likely reduced her chances of developing diabetes in later years, experts say.

Gastelum's story underlines the diabetes association's message.

"We're emphasizing that there is so much you can do," Brown said, "to change the outcome of the disease."