10 Facts About Diabetes

Diabetes has been a fast-spreading epidemic, and the total number of deaths from the disease is only expected to rise. November 14^th is World Diabetes Day, and in an effort to raise awareness, here are 10 facts from the American Diabetes Association in 2015.

Fact #1: 21 million Americans have diabetes, compared to 86 million with prediabetes.

Fact #2: 1.6 million Americans are diagnosed with diabetes every year.

Fact #3: Over 200,000 individuals younger than 20 years have diabetes (type 1 or type 2).

Fact #3: Diabetes is the primary cause of death for 69,071 Americans each year.

Fact #4: 1 in 10 healthcare dollars is spent treating diabetes and its complications.

Fact #5: Hospitalization rates for heart attack were 1.8 times higher among adults with diabetes than among adults without diabetes.

Fact #6: Diabetes kills more Americans every year than AIDS and breast cancer combined.

Fact #7: 85.2% of people with type 2 diabetes are overweight or obese.

Fact #8: A person with diagnosed diabetes at age 50 dies, on average, 6 years earlier than a counterpart without diabetes.

Fact #9: Hearing loss is about twice as common in adults with diabetes than those who do not have diabetes.

Fact #10: 8.1 million Americans have undiagnosed diabetes. (27.8% of diabetes is undiagnosed)

When it comes to type 2 diabetes, taking steps for diabetes prevention is important. Preventive measures include lifestyle changes, like changes to diet and increased physical activity. They can also include weight loss, and many recommend regular blood glucose screenings if you are 1) 45 or older and overweight or 2) younger than 45 but overweight and showing risk factors for diabetes, which might include a sedentary lifestyle or a family history of diabetes.