Global total for diabetes now reaches 382 million

[davidn3600]

LONDON (Reuters) - The world is losing the battle against diabetes as the number of people estimated to be living with the disease soars to a new record of 382 million this year, medical experts said on Thursday.

The vast majority have type 2 diabetes - the kind linked to obesity and lack of exercise - and the epidemic is spreading as more people in the developing world adopt Western, urban lifestyles.

The latest estimate from the International Diabetes Federation is equivalent to a global prevalence rate of 8.4 percent of the adult population and compares to 371 million cases in 2012.

By 2035, the organization predicts the number of cases will have soared by 55 percent to 592 million.

http://news.yahoo.com/diabetes-battle-being-lost-cases-hit-record-382-230425149--finance.html

Time to hit the treadmill, folks....

[Fridays Child]

1. In 15 years, 50% of Americans will have type II diabetes.

Half of us--regardless of who we vote for, no matter who we hate--will have to manage heart disease, blindness, limb amputations, permanent disability, job losses, endless medical bills.

[SoCalDem]

3. It's very sad to think of how many YOUNG people are getting this disease..

There are SO many advances made in medicine, but there are also many things around now, that did not seem to be as issue before. When I was a young person, I knew NO ONE with diabetes (young or old)...

only very old people had heart attacks/heart disease...
no one was overweight (except for the one or two "fat-kids" at school).
.
EVERYONE seemed to drink & smoke...

A child with autism was as common as bumping into a Martian in the grocery store...

No one I ever met (until recently) had asthma

Flesh-eating bacteria might have been in a horror movie, but not in "real life"..

I never met anyone with celiac disease/irritable bowel syndrome/gluten sensitivity/peanut allergy/or any food allergies.

We did, mostly all of us, get measles/chicken pox..and for the unluckiest of all..mumps, but no one I ever knew had anything more than the irritation factor of the diseases..and the not being able to play outside with friends or go to school.

I sometimes wonder if we are progressing much at all, especially when the treatments for some of our ailments are as excruciating as the ailment itself..and unaffordable to millions of people anyway.

Most people (when I was young) probably did not even HAVE insurance, or if they did (like my family) it was an 80-20.. We would pay out of pocket and mail the receipts in monthly and they would send us a check for their 80%..

Of course back then you could afford to go to a doctor/dentist.

I am happy to be old.. I cannot imagine the hellish future (medically/financially) ahead for the young ones.. (like my kids)

[newfie11]

2. My husband got it from agent orange in Vietnam

I have to wonder if there is something more than a bad diet going on.
Are the chemicals used to make agent orange/or something similar showing up in processed foods.

[HereSince1628]

6. 2,4-D is still available and still used in agriculture.

Bush era EPA ruled 2,4-D safe when properly used. 2,4-D is common in selective weed-killer for DYI home lawn management, and how often it isn't 'properly used' is an open question.

Dioxins produced as a side product while making the other component (2,4,5T) of AO get a lot of the blame for illnesses associated with AO. 2,4,5T now known to be a persistent carcinogen was eliminated for use in US agriculture in the 80's.

Although AO usually brings to mind Vietnam/Operation Ranchhand, the military did use these herbicides in many places outside of Vietnam. Information about Agent Orange and V.A. benefits can be found at:

http://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/agentorange/benefits.asp

[newfie11]

8. Thanks HS1628

It is no wonder people are so unhealthy in this country!

[ancianita]

4. Wow, great news for the pharmaceutical and food processing industries.

[chervilant]

5. "Time to hit the treadmill, folks...."

Are you serious? If so, you might adjure people to eliminate processed foods, especially those laden with sugar, white flour, HFCS, and hydrogenated oils. You might also share the fact that diabetes, heart disease, stroke, obesity, and osteoporosis are strongly correlated with over-consumption of animal products.

[snooper2]

10. did a search graduating class of 1942

Here's a good pic- See any obese humans?




Then did graduating class of 2012, notice a trend?

[chervilant]

11. Okay...

I am not refuting the fact that at present obesity is a major health issue. However, WHAT we eat -- and HOW MUCH we eat -- is as important as exercise.

[malaise]

7. Today is World Diabetes Day

The good news is that people actually take the day seriously these days and have lots of Health Fairs, etc.

[snooper2]

9. Well, (21,900,000,000) almost 22 billion Hershey's Kisses are produced every year

to keep things in perspective