University of Chicago researchers estimate that over the next 25 years the number of Americans with diagnosed and undiagnosed diabetes will soar from 23.7 million to 44.1 million. Not only that, medical spending related to diabetes care and management will climb from $113 billion to $336 billion annually. Diabetes is a chronic illness which often requires daily medication, insulin, glucose monitoring supplies, lab tests and frequent visits to the doctor. It is also a disease which could be potentially prevented, which is why primary preventative care is so important (and sorely lacking) in the U.S. As the researchers state, “Without significant changes in public or private strategies, this population and cost growth are expected to add a significant strain to an overburdened health care system.” With these new figures, the study will hopefully influence policymakers during this time of uncertainty in the future of U.S. healthcare. [via Medical News Today]
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Tags: diabetes, health, healthcare, preventative care, University of Chicago
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Dr. Steven Chang, the author of DailyDose, is a staff physician with Kosmix RightHealth. Dr. Chang practices Family Medicine at the University of California Davis Medical Center, where his medical interests include both pediatric and geriatric care, public health, gay and lesbian health, and sleep medicine. Dr. Chang trained at the Stanford University affiliated O'Connor Hospital, and was a research fellow at the National Institute of Health. He holds an M.D. from McGill University and a BA in Public Health from Johns Hopkins University.
November 30th, 2009 at 7:47 am
Eats lots of fiber and fruits and veggies and walk 30 min. or equivilent every day !!!
November 30th, 2009 at 8:07 am
Two major problems:
As long as the medical community and pharmaceuticle companies define diabetes to a moving standard to capture a larger target audience, diabetes must continue to rise to fulfill their need for greater profits. i.e., my first indication for diabetes was a fasting blood glucose of <140, then automatically it changed to <126, then to 85. So what is the standard? Keeping in mind the term of Type II diabetes is a misnomer, it should be Insulin and Leptin resistance and treated as such. Until the medical community starts treating the underlying causes, it has no place to go rather than up.
Second, the FDA and the USDA need take a look at the recommended food pryamid and reduce their recommendations for increased carbohydrate consumption and increase their recommended saturated fat intake along with increased protiens.
FDA needs to review their approval for High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) additives to fruit drinks, cereals, sodas, and other foods that undergo processing. At the very least, manufacturers should be required to list the amounts of HFCS on labels of processed foods so consumers know how much they are including in their diet.
Get the lobbyist out of our government agencies and and let the agencies provide uninfluenced, unbiased recommendations to the consumers.
November 30th, 2009 at 1:26 pm
I was diagnosed at the age of 13 with Type 1 diabetes and I was thin as a rail. I’ve “had” it for 40 years now. I take exception with the comment, ” It is also a disease which could be potentially prevented…..”. When making a comment like this, please be careful note the differences between Type 1, Type 2, and juvenile-onset Type 1. It’s usually hereditary. Thanks.
November 30th, 2009 at 4:50 pm
Ms Ray, please note I did speak to Type II, at no time did I address Type I.
Thanks
November 30th, 2009 at 9:44 pm
I would like to add that portion control is a factor towards causing obesity in the very young and therefore laying the groundwork for diabetes. Also, inactivity of the young which becomes a lifestyle later in life. Keep an eye on weight gain as well throughout a youngsters years and he/she will have a better chance of staving off diabetes.
December 1st, 2009 at 11:05 am
jamie2628-With the way the economy is and people worring about where their next meal is going to come from, it’s a wonder anyone is still alive. Stress, high levels of cortisol in the body is also a major contributing factor to diabetes II. A LSO, THOSE ”diabetes indicator numbers” via fasting glucose levels THAT CHANGE CONSTANTLY IS NO GREAT SHAKES. SO WHAT IS THE CORRECT NUMBER, AMA????? This healthcare system is as corrupt as the whole DAMN COUNTRY. No preventative care. The poor, as usual suffer the most. Overall health is much worse among the poor, working or not. Is Anorexia or Bulimia a disorder of the wealthy? Of course not. No wonder cardiovascular disease is rampant in the USA. People suffering with lousy HMO’S is no hope for the poor suffering. I know somebody will jump to the contrary and say they don’t want a system based on ”COMMUNIST SYSTEMS”. How about Universal Healthcare-EVERYONE, AND I MEAN EVERYONE GETS THE SAME GOOD HEALTHCARE THE OTHER INDUSTRIALIZED COUNTIES ENJOY. We do not live nearly as long as a whole list of countries. WAKE UP AMERICA! tHANKS FOR GIVING ME A CHANCE TO VENT, BUT THIS IS GOING ON TOO LONG WITH TOO MANY IGNORANT PEOPLE . THANK YOU.
December 2nd, 2009 at 7:48 am
Corinne, You are sadly misinformed about socialized medicine. As one that lived in Europe under socialized medicine I can attest to the fact that it is not all you believe it is. First, medical technology is in great shortage, hospitals are over crowded, physicians are in short supply and waiting times to schedule physician appointments are very lengthy.
Once you get admitted to a hospital for a critical condition you will find that the doctors and staff does not share the same sense of urgency as you do and the monies available to provide necessary care are unavailble.
Under the current US system health insurance is a contract between the company and the individual and is the most efficient means of insuring good and proper care. Unfortunately, people approach the purchase of healthcare insurance the same way they approach purchasing automobile insurance, cost base only. The average person has no idea as to what they purchased and what coverage they have. Furthermore, the average person doesn’t plan for future needs nor do they budget their incomes for them. This says a lot for Healthcare Savings Plans and would allow for adjustments as people age as their accounts grow simultaneously. If a perspn is fortunate enough not to require his savings for health care, he can divert the excesses to other uses such a college for the children or to his retirement.
As one that lived in Germany for fourteen years and know the cost of socialized medicine, believe me when I say I can pay for my healthcare just from the savings I reap from less taxes, until the Liberals change it.
December 2nd, 2009 at 9:30 pm
regaring diabetes whether type 1 or type 2 most impartent is eating habbit. should we eat or not? because we never think of calories when we are eating any item.o k after eating where is expenditure for intake calories? we simply drive drive it is bad bad , ban ban ban all automobiles first people must not buy auto mobile at all.go to feilds work manually,then u will have good expenditure for u r calories. no queston of diabetes.genetical can be stopped for future. bye doctor shivakrupa.
December 28th, 2009 at 7:52 am
Link provides a perfect example as to the confusion of doctors about standards of diabetes control. If doctors remain confused, what are patients to do:
http://www.theheart.org/article/1012275.do