At its present rate of boost, diabetes can be a fact of life for a third of the U.S. Population by 2050. An increasing trend toward obesity and an aging populace were cited as the main issues in a Centers for Disease Control report published on Oct. 22. To stem the rising cost of diabetes treatment, which will triple at current rates, the CDC has implemented initiatives to fight the spread of the disease. Article source: Obesity trends project one in three diabetic Americans by 2050 by Personal Money Store.
Millions don't know they have diabetes
CDC reports that 1 in 10 Americans have diabetes, which is about 23.6 million people. Diabetes cases should double and perhaps triple by 2050 if obesity continues how it has, a CNN article said. About 6 million people have diabetes right now. Those are only the ones who don't know they have it. Those who are pre-diabetic and will develop diabetes unless their lifestyle changed are 57 million Americans with excess fat around their midsection, the CDC reports. Most of will end up with type 2 diabetes, and their bodies will lose the ability to produce insulin.
Costs to treat diabetes goes up
To prevent diabetes, there's nothing people can do about growing older. However, the biggest risk factor -- obesity -- can be avoided with a healthy diet and exercise. Avoiding obesity can do wonders. You will save money without it. $174 billion is spent annually on diabetes treatment along, the American Diabetes Association explains. Before you are 45, it is suggested by the ADA that you get screened for diabetes. In case you are obese, you should try checking at an earlier age.
A pound needed to prevent each ounce
The CDC said it has a plan to cut back diabetes and to help people make smarter lifestyle choices. Its prevention efforts target communities where healthy food is hard to discover and safe places to exercise are scarce. Even so, the CDC record found that prevention efforts could reduce the number of cases but not keep them from increasing overall. The authors wrote that without preventive intervention, 3.5 million cases are expected in 2050. Prevention will only give a net reduction of 344,000 by 2050. That means there will still be 3.1 million cases.
Information from
CNN
pagingdrgupta.blogs.cnn.com/2010/10/22/diabetes-numbers-expected-to-triple-by-2050/?npt=NP1
ABC News
abcnews.go.com/Health/Diabetes/cdc-predicts-dramatic-increase-diabetes/story?id=11946076
MedPage Today
medpagetoday.com/Cardiology/Diabetes/22922
