It's no secret -- Hispanic culture centers around good food. No matter what their country of origin, traditional dishes are a source of pride and familiarity for most Hispanics. But they carry certain health risks.

The prevalence of diabetes among Hispanics is high, so high that it borders on an epidemic. According to the Centers for Disease Controll, lifetime risk estimates for developing diabetes is high for both Hispanic men and women. Hispanic women born in 2000 have a 52.5 percent risk of developing diabetes in their lifetime while Hispanic men have a 45.4 percent risk. That compares, for example, to a 31.2 percent risk for non-Hispanic white females and 26.7 percent risk among non-Hispanic white males.

"Unfortunately, for the Latin community it is hard to adjust for and educate about diabetes because we don't want to give up our traditions," said cookbook author celebrity chef Leticia Moreinos Schwartz, who Sunday stopped at Calle Ocho Street Festival as part of Merck Pharmaceutical's Cuida tu Diabetes, Cuida tu Corazon (Taking Diabetes To Heart). With help from the American Diabetes Association and Jefe's Original Food Truck, Schwartz demonstrated how just a few small measures can make a big difference for those suffering from diabetes.

More »