Study: Diabetes cases to double, costs to triple
Reported November 28, 2009
COLUMBUS (WKOW) — A day after Americans gorged themselves on turkey and mashed potatoes, a telling prediction on the future of diabetes.
University of Chicago researchers say, by the year 2034, nearly twice as many Americans will have the disease, about 44 million people.
The study attributes the increase to an aging baby boomer population, and the number of overweight people.
“We see people not eating what they should, not exercising as much as they should,” said Dr. Jeanine Kies at Columbus Dean Clinic. “And the population is getting older. The stats just verify what we already knew.”
Treating all these people will be expensive.
Medical costs are expected to triple from $113 billion, to $336 billion per year.
“You have to be at the doctor every three months, including blood work to monitor diabetes,” Kies said. “Usually we start with one medication, a second kind to control kidney function, an aspirin a day, and usually they’re on a cholesterol medication at the same time.”
Doctors say prevention is in the hands of the patient.
“It means keeping an ideal weight, 25 BMI, that’s height and weight, so they can’t cheat,” Kies said. “Exercise regularly to keep blood flowing to the kidneys to keep everything in a health pattern.”
The study includes both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
Source : WorldNow and WKOW