All Lit Up
Denton Square readies for the winter holidays. Insert Page 4 Friday, December 3, 2010
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Volume 96 | Issue 56
Sunny 72° / 49°
ntdaily.com
The Student Newspaper of the University of North Texas
Report: Majority of U.S. will have diabetes BY M ACKENZIE MICHEL Staff Writer
A new repor t by t he UnitedHealth Center for Health Reform & Modernization predicts that within the next decade, we will be living in the United States of Diabetes. The new report says if health trends continue, more than 50 percent of the American population will have diabetes or pre-diabetes by 2020. This will come at a cost of $3.35 trillion and an estimated 10 percent of total health care spending. According to the American Diabetes Association, 23.6 million people — 7.8 percent of the U.S. population — had diabetes or prediabetes in 2007. Of those people, 2 million between the ages of 12 and 19 had pre-diabetes. Jaremy James, assistant professor of internal medicine at the UNT Health Science Center in Fort Worth, said it’s a large assumption to think that 50 percent of the population will have diabetes, but it’s possible. “Many people are coming around with diabetes,” James said. “Don’t think it won’t happen to you, because it will.” There are many types of diabetes, but James says the main types are Type 1, Type 2 and gestational diabetes. James said people with Type 1 diabetes are generally born that way, and their bodies are unable to produce insulin. Type 2 diabetes is generally associated with obesity
lems and painful nerve damage. Kristi Harris, an interior design sophomore, has Type 1 diabetes and was diagnosed when she was 8. “It’s an expensive disease,” Harris said. “You have a bunch of different supplies and doctors that you have to go to, and I have a nutritionist to get my food and find what’s healthy for me to live a normal life.” Harris keeps her medical supplies in her backpack or purse at all times in case of any problems. If her blood sugar gets too low or too high, it can lead to vomiting, confusion or fainting. “If you’re friends with a diabetic, just get to know them and have them talk to you about it so that you can understand and know what to do if something happens,” Harris said. Williams said there are many risk factors that can lead to diabetes, including family history, PHOTO BY TARYN WALKER/INTERN ethnicity, high blood pressure and Interior design sophomore Kristi Harris gives herself an insulin shot four times a day. Harris was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when she was 8 years old. high cholesterol. “If a student has a family history or any risk factors, they should family is diabetic,” James said. “It’s balanced healthy diet, proper Lora Williams, the dietitian and high cholesterol, and the body still makes insulin but no longer at UNT’s Student Health and portion intake and avoiding just something you may need to make an appointment with the knows how to use it. Gestational Wellness Center, said diabetes high-fat, frequent fast food meals consider you’ll end up with, espe- Student Health and Wellness Center or be evaluated by a health cially if it runs in the family.” diabetes usually occurs in women is a major problem and is getting and frequent soda intake. James also said diabetes gets care provider and get preventative “There has to be an awareness who get pregnant, and many worse, and more emphasis needs education from the SHWC dietitimes they outgrow it after the to be placed on preventive educa- of how to prevent diabetes,” James costly. “Diabetes is one of the most tian,” she said. “Each UNT student said. “You do need to be careful tion. pregnancy. expensive diseases out there pays a medical services fee as a “Regular activity, at least 30 and keep an eye on it.” “I’ve been seeing younger and James said that oftentimes, because it attacks your whole part of tuition. This fee includes younger people getting Type 2 minutes of exercise most days of the first visit to see the SHWC dietidiabetes,” James said. “People the week, needs to be an expected people who get diabetes have a body,” he said. If it’s not properly treated, tian. Each visit with the dietitian is in their 30s or 40s are getting it, norm like brushing your teeth or genetic predisposition to getting diabetes can lead to blindness, partially paid for and makes visits it. rather than people in their 50s taking a bath,” Williams said. “Find out if anyone in the kidney failure, blood flow prob- affordable to students.” Williams also suggested a and 60s like it used to be.”
Businesses offer discounts Men’s basketball team
tames Tigers at home
Part four of a four-part series BY ERIN LIPINSKY
BY SEAN GORMAN
Contributing Writer
Senior Staff Writer
Various establishments in Denton offer student discounts and price cuts with a quick flash of a valid student ID. “I utilize the student discounts in Denton all the time, literally all the time,” said Leigh Smith, a public administration graduate student. “Sometimes it is 10 percent and sometimes it is 50 percent, but students should ask everywhere they go.” Campus Bookstore The campus bookstore also offers discounts and savings for students and their families. Students, parents and faculty can save as much as $200 on Apple computers and accessories. Computer software such as Microsoft Office Pro Plus for PC, normally sold at $500, is sold to students for about $100. Adobe products also come at about a 65 to 75 percent discounted price depending on the student’s desired package. “Students are always on a budget, so our primary goal is to give them the best price they can get,” said Randy Honeycutt, computer sales coordinator for the UNT Bookstore.
PHOTO BY BRIANNE TOLJ/DESIGN EDITOR
Businesses around town, including the UNT Bookstore, offer discounts for students. The bookstore has low prices for electronics and software for students. Auto Repair Students who need auto repairs can get about 10 percent discounted on various services. TransPro of Denton offers a 10 percent discount on transmission work for students. Eagle Transmission and Briscoe Alignment and Tires also offer a 10 percent discount on major repairs and available services. “What we are trying to do is offer a place for students to go that they can trust,” said John Looper, Eagle Transmission owner. “I found so far that students are much more likely than other customers to bring in the available coupons.”
Movie Nights Depending on the night, students do not have to pay more than $3.50 for a movie ticket. The Movie Tavern offers $3 movie night on Mondays, the Landmark Theater in the Golden Triangle Mall offers $2 movie night on Tuesdays and the Cinemark Theater offers $3.50 movie night on Thursdays for students who present valid IDs. Regular ticket prices vary anywhere from $5 to $7 with a student ID on non-promotional Fashion and Food days. Restaurants and retail stores
throughout Denton offer student discounts on food, beverages and merchandise, most of which range from 5 to 10 percent. Carl’s Junior and Jupiter House Coffee offer discounts. Sky Guitars and The Limited in Golden Triangle Mall offer a 5 percent student discount on merchandise. Thrifty and Nifty McBride Music and Pawn offers additional student discounts depending on the purchase. For students who travel, the American Airlines shuttle to the airport offers a 2.5 percent student discount and the airline also offers students up to 10 percent off airfares and 5 percent off of land components, such as hotels and excursions, when booked through aa.com.
Off to its best start in more than 30 years, the UNT men’s basketball team turned to its starting five in an 89-78 home victory over Grambling State on Thursday night. The Mean Green (6-1) now owns a 10 home game winning streak and hasn’t dropped a home non-conference game since December 2008. “I thought we came out and played extremely well at the beginning,” head coach Johnny Jones said. “I thought Grambling was a game basketball team. They’re a team that has guys that can make plays.” The last time UNT had this kind of start was during the 1977-1978 season, when it opened 7-1. UNT had no trouble getting ahead early against the Tigers (1-6), opening the game with a 17-6 run in the first five minutes while hitting its first nine shots. Senior g ua rd Trista n Thompson continued to lead the Mean Green attack, scoring 28 points of 5-6 shooting from 3-point range. Thompson leads the Sun Belt Conference in points per game and has scored more than 20 points in four-straight games. “We’re shooting high percentages and nobody’s forcing anything,” Thompson said. Most of the scoring came from UNT’s starting five, as each starter finished with double digits in scoring and the Mean Green bench was outscored 38-12. Texas Southern Hoping to extend its four-
PHOTO BY RYAN BIBB/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Junior Kedrick Hogans goes up for the basket against Grambling State’s Peter “PJ” Roberson. game winning streak, the Mean Green will travel to Houston and once again face the Tigers (1-5) when it takes on Texas Southern at 7 p.m. Saturday. Playing in their first home contest, the Tigers have struggled in their first six games on the road with their only win at Oregon State. “They’re a very good basketball team. We had to hit a shot with time running out to beat them last year,” Jones said. “It’s going to be a tough road test for us. We’re going
to have to be ready for it.” Sophomore forward Jacob Holmen was the hero when the Mean Green edged out a victory over the Tigers at home last season, scoring in the game’s final seconds to secure a win. TSU has faced stingy competition early on, losing games at Wichita State, Oklahoma and Kansas State. “It’s exciting to know that we’re 6-1 and still have room for improvement in many areas,” Thompson said.