“Diabetes is a silent epidemic,” said a participating physician at one of the Dawoodi Bohra community’s many Diabetes Awareness Month events in November, citing CDC data that shows higher prevalence among South Asian communities. “Community-driven health literacy—especially for early screening and preventive lifestyle changes—is one of our strongest defenses.”
“Every step teaches us more,” a Collin County participant said after finishing a loop during a Diabetes Awareness Month event. She had spent the morning hearing doctors explain early symptoms, simple diet changes, and how everyday habits affect long-term health. “I’m going to share what I learned with others,” she said. “Together, we hope to have a healthier future.”
Throughout Diabetes Awareness Month, led by Project Rise, the Dawoodi Bohra community’s global philanthropic initiative, members across the United States, held walks, nutrition sessions, educational seminars, and mass awareness initiatives aimed at improving health literacy around diabetes, a condition that the World Health Organization identifies as one of the world’s fastest-growing health challenges.
In alignment with the cause championed by the American Diabetes Association, the campaign promoted the importance of early recognition, and the small lifestyle changes proven to delay or prevent diabetes.
According to the CDC’s latest National Diabetes Statistics Report, an estimated 38.4 million Americans have diabetes — roughly 11.6% of the population. Another 97.6 million adults live with prediabetes, and the CDC notes that more than 80% of them are unaware of it. Type 2 diabetes accounts for up to 95% of all cases. The ADA’s Standards of Care emphasize that routine physical activity, improved diet, modest weight loss and annual screening can reduce the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by up to 58%, a figure established by the landmark Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) trial.
A Nationwide Effort
The Dawoodi Bohras leveraged its extensive network of volunteers and its communal dining program, which ensures food security within the community and also conducts outreach to the underprivileged. On World Diabetes Day weekend, a note on healthy eating and prevention was delivered with meals to Dawoodi Bohra households across the USA.
Communities also took part in a Walk for Diabetes challenge, reflecting ADA guidance on routine exercise. In the Dallas–Fort Worth area, physicians Dr. Nafisa Mogri and Dr. Hujefa Vora explained insulin resistance and the importance of early recognition before joining families at Fritz Park. Over the next ten days, participants committed to 1,508,000 steps.
In Collin County, cardiologist and electrophysiologist Dr. Mustafa Dohadwala walked families through diabetes physiology, early detection strategies and portion control. One attendee reflected afterwards, “We learned a great deal just by participating and hearing from physicians in our own community.”
The Raleigh community held a morning hike around Jordan Lake that turned into an outdoor classroom. Pediatrician Dr. Zainab Qayumi explained how the body uses insulin, while adults discussed ways to adjust South Asian meals—often high in refined carbohydrates—to reduce glucose spikes. Physical therapist Dr. Jibran Qayumi demonstrated exercises linked to improved glycemic control. Families concluded the session with fruit, yoghurt, vegetables and hummus.
In Washington DC, nutritionist Almaas Arsiwala spoke at a lakeside program outlining how diets with more vegetables and protein, and fewer refined grains, align with ADA recommendations.
Communities in The Woodlands, Chicago, Tampa, Ohio, Chicago, Detroit, Houston, and Boston held their own events, ranging from 5k forest-preserve walks and free HbA1c screenings to women-led medical seminars and ADA Walkathon participation. Each gathering emphasized accessible movement, culturally familiar dietary guidance and clear information on early signs of diabetes.
On the west coast, the Bakersfield community hosted an awareness presentation before families stepped outside for a walk through the masjid grounds. A local community outreach coordinator addressed the gathering, stating, “Diabetes can feel scary, but it doesn’t have to be. With education, early testing, and healthy habits, we can prevent many cases — and we can control it if it happens.”
SBMAA MEDS Conference: The Campaign’s Professional Backbone
Much of November’s campaign was coordinated by the outreach of members of the Saifee Burhani Medical Association of America (SBMAA) MEDS Conference, which took place in Los Angeles this year. The gathering brought together Bohra healthcare professionals, including physicians, dentists, pharmacists, fitness trainers, therapists and students to discuss medical advancements and strengthen accessibility through community healthcare initiatives.
The conference included a focused panel discussion on how to communicate diabetes prevention and self-management effectively. Clinicians and speakers reviewed ADA standards, analyzing real case studies from South Asian patients and exploring multidisciplinary strategies for prediabetes.
Part of the program focused on practical behavior-change strategies, showing providers how to help individuals identify their own reasons for improving diet and activity—an approach shown in diabetes-prevention research to make lifestyle changes more sustainable. The session also reviewed major lifestyle-intervention studies, including the DPP (Diabetes Prevention Program) and Look AHEAD (Action for Health in Diabetes) trials, which show that steady, everyday shifts in diet and physical activity can delay or prevent Type 2 diabetes over the long term.
A Campaign Continued
As Diabetes Awareness Month draws to a close, for American Dawoodi Bohra communities, November marks the continuation of learning, conversations, and turning public-health research into practical, lifelong habits. Awareness, after all, is not a date on the calendar but a daily discipline: a commitment to moving a little more, eating a little better and looking out for one another with a little more intention towards a healthier, happier future for all.
