Diabetes Is a Serious, Widespread Disorder Affecting

¶ … Diabetes is a serious, widespread disorder affecting millions of adults and children throughout the United States. The 2011 National Diabetes Fact Sheet provided by the American Diabetes Association lists the following statistics:

million people in the United States are afflicted by diabetes, which accounts for 8.3% of the entire population.

% of all men over the age of 20 and 10.8% of all women over the age of 20 have diabetes.

In 2007, diabetes was found to be the underlying cause of death on a total of 71,382 death certificates, and was listed as a factor contributing to death on another 160,022 death certificates.

The total cost associated with diabetes diagnoses in 2007 in the United States was $174 billion.

Given the enormity of these statistics, it is crucial that treatment and prevention strategies are put into practice that can reduce the number of individuals suffering from diabetes.

Complications

According to the American Diabetes Association (2011), there are several complications associated with diabetes including:

Heart disease and stroke, which factored into 68% of deaths that were diabetes related among individuals over the age of 65 years. Also, death rates due to heart disease are two to four times higher among adults with diabetes than those without the disease.

High blood pressure

Blindness, of which diabetes is the leading cause among adults in the United States.

Kidney disease

Neuropathy, or disease of the nervous system

Amputation, in which 60% of amputations that are performed to remove lower limbs are due to diabetes.

Prevention:

According to the Mayo Clinic (2011) there are five important, effective measures that can be taken to prevent diabetes:

1. Increase physical activity, which prevents diabetes by lowering weight, reducing blood sugar, and elevates the body's sensitivity to insulin.

2. Consume more fiber, which decreases the likelihood of diabetes by improving control of blood sugar, encouraging weight loss, and reducing heart disease risk.

3. Consuming more whole grains, which aids in diabetes prevention by improving blood sugar control.