Vital Signs W INTER 2 0 1 3 | V OL U M E 5 7 F EAT U RE S TORIE S Hearing Loss Page 4 Glaucoma Page 6 Going Electronic Page 8 Community Calendar Page 12 Specialized Diabetes Centers Focus on Prevention Type 2 diabetes is preventable, but its incidence is increasing nationwide — fueled in large part by the fact that a large percentage of the population is either overweight or obese. As the number of cases rise, physicians in specialized centers are focusing on preventing complications from the disease. “Almost every family is affected by the challenges of obesity and diabetes,” says Anthony Heaney, M.D., Ph.D., clinical chief of the UCLA Division of Endocrinology. “At UCLA, we believe a multidisciplinary team of experts — diabetologist, diabetes educator and dietitian — is the best way to help diabetes patients take back their health.” Continued on page 7