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Information on diabetes available For more information on diabetes, visit the Wellness Wednesday booth from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Nov. 29 in the Children’s Hospital Lobby.   Diabetes is common, costly and serious. South Carolina is third in diabetes prevalence in the continental United States. People can live healthy lives with diabetes, and serious complications can be prevented by making lifestyle changes: controlling blood pressure, blood glucose, and blood fats and seeking preventative care.   REACH Charleston and Georgetown Diabetes Coalition is a partnership between the two communities and MUSC College of Nursing. These groups are working together to eliminate health disparities for blacks with diabetes. For more information call 792-5872 or visit http://www.musc.edu/reach.   Free, weekly diabetes education classes are taught by a registered nurse and a lay community health advisor.  Community support groups are held throughout the two counties to provide extra help in meeting health goals.     Progress in eliminating disparities has been made in diabetes testing, decreasing emergency room visits, and decreasing amputations by 50 percent in African American men. The Coalition continues to work on improving diabetes care and control.     Diabetes is diagnosed when blood glucose (sugar) is 126 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dl) or higher after no food or drinks (except water) for at least 8 hours. Anytime blood glucose is 200 mg/dl or more, a person is diagnosed with diabetes.  Many people with diabetes may have few or no symptoms, so ask your health care provider if you are at risk for diabetes. Weekly tips from the Healthy S.C. Challenge Healthy S.C. Challenge is a results-oriented initiative created by Gov. Mark Sanford and first lady Jenny Sanford to motivate people to start making choices that can improve health and well-being. Visit http://www.healthysc.gov. Tobacco South Carolina teens now have a new aid to help them quit smoking. In addition to services for adults, the S.C. Quitline has a new individually-tailored quitting program for teens that includes discussion of triggers, peer influences and stressors. Call 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) from 8 a.m. to midnight. Editor's note: The preceding column was brought to you on behalf of Health 1st. Striving to bring various topics and representing numerous employee wellness organizations and committees on campus, this weekly column seeks to provide MUSC, MUHA, and UMA employees with current and helpful information concerning all aspects of health.     Friday, Nov. 24, 2006 Catalyst Online is published weekly, updated as needed and improved from time to time by the MUSC Office of Public Relations for the faculty, employees and students of the Medical University of South Carolina. Catalyst Online editor, Kim Draughn, can be reached at 792-4107 or by email, catalyst@musc.edu. Editorial copy can be submitted to Catalyst Online and to The Catalyst in print by fax, 792-6723, or by email to catalyst@musc.edu. To place an ad in The Catalyst hardcopy, call Island Publications at 849-1778, ext. 201.