The U-M Health Sciences Council will examine the causes, treatment and state of knowledge about diabetes, a major public health threat that affects an estimated 17 million Americans, at a symposium 3-5 p.m. March 31 in the Towsley Center’s Dow Auditorium.

The symposium is intended to highlight the University’s role in sharing information about managing the disease, and to develop partnerships among local and state organizations, health care providers and government agencies.

The program will review the definition of diabetes, its complications, the epidemiological perspective and the current standard of treatment. New research regarding the cause of diabetes also will be addressed.

Changes in diet and exercise, improved medications and proper management of complications can reduce the development of Type 2 diabetes, which accounts for up to 95 percent of diabetes cases, and is strongly associated with obesity and aging.

The symposium will be convened by Paula Allen-Meares, chairwoman of the Health Sciences Council and dean of the School of Social Work.

Symposium speakers include:

William Herman, professor of internal medicine and epidemiology; interim director, Michigan Diabetes Research and Training Center; and associate medical director, M-CARE. Topic: “Overview of Diabetes.”

Eva Feldman, professor of neurology; director, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Center for the Study of Complications in Diabetes; and director, Program for Understanding Neurological Diseases. Topic: “Diabetes and its Complications.”

Alan Saltiel, John Jacob Abel Collegiate Professor in the Life Sciences; director, Life Sciences Institute. Topic: “New Insights into the Causes of Diabetes.”

Diabetes mellitus is the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States. The disease lowers average life expectancy by up to 15 years, increases cardiovascular disease risk two- to four-fold, and is the main cause of kidney failure, lower limb amputations and adult-onset blindness.

Rates of the disease are expected to rise substantially as the U.S. population ages and becomes increasingly overweight, sedentary, and racially and ethnically diverse.

In addition to Allen-Meares and Saltiel, the Health Sciences Council consists of Noreen Clark, dean, School of Public Health; Ada Sue Hinshaw, dean, School of Nursing; George Kenyon, dean, College of Pharmacy; William Kotowicz, dean, School of Dentistry; Allen Lichter, dean, School of Medicine; Beverly Ulrich, dean, Division of Kinesiology; and Larry Warren, director, U-M Hospitals.