There are now more than 18-million diabetics in the U.S. according to this e-mail alert I just received from the American Diabetes Association:
New Diabetes Statistics Released by US Secretary of Health - 18.2 million Americans now have diabetes - Make sure your members of Congress know this!
Dear John,
On Thursday, November 13th, Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy G. Thompson announced that the number of Americans with diabetes rose to an all-time high of an estimated 18.2 million people in 2003. This reflects a 1.2 million increase in people with diabetes in just two years*.
Despite the fact that diabetes clearly is an increasing public health threat, the
American Diabetes Association and its advocates still struggle to get the US Congress to pay attention to the disease.
Clearly, more funding must be made available to scientists for research into preventing and curing diabetes. But as it stands now, the diabetes institute at the National Institutes of Health is still dramatically underfunded. And the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention still doesn't receive enough money to have a comprehensive diabetes control program in each state.
We need your help once again.
Send a message to your members of Congress informing them of these new
statistics. We've already written a letter for you containing the pertinent facts but we need you to take it a step further. In the letter, please add your own comments about your struggle with diabetes. A cold statistic is one thing. Putting a human face to this disease is something else entirely.
So whether you are a health care professional, the parent of a child with diabetes, living with it yourself, or grieving over loved ones you have lost to it, you have a story to tell - and you must tell it. It is the only way we can show Congress that diabetes must be dealt a deadly blow by directing more money to the research facilities that study it.
*Other highlights of the data include:
* Diabetes is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States.
* About 5 million Americans have diabetes but do not know it.
* Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness among adults between 20 and 74 years old.
More information can be found on the 2003 National Diabetes Fact Sheet.
If you haven't taken action yet, the time to take action is now. Click here to do your part in helping to cure diabetes today!
Article comments
1 - KYS
So many people in my family have diabetes I test every so often because my chances of developing the disease are so high. I also participate in charitable activities and donate money whenever I can to join in the cause. However, there is a diabetic threat which I have dubbed FFID: Fast-Food Induced Diabetes. This is not a genetic issue, it is a behavioral issue. It amazes me that people would rather take pills or shots than change their diets and take the occasional walk. Faced with the threat of an inherited disease, I'm frustrated with those who would bring this on themselves.
Sorry- just venting.
2 - Temple Stark
Adult onset diabetes is highly preventable - eat better, and regularly. There's your prevention in most cases.
Of course, it doesn't help that the cheapest foods are also the ones that are least good for you. Still, it can be done. Especialy on the "eat regularly" aspect.
3 - Natalie Davis
That's exactly why education is so necessary on this topic. It may be hard to believe, but many people simply do not know this -- or find out when the serious damage already has been done.
4 - KYS
True, there may be many people who don't know. But even if they don't know how they got to that point, I would hope that by the time a patient is prescribed medication for this issue they've been informed of the dietary issues by their physician.
I should also say that other medical issues can complicate adult-onset; problems that cannot be easily addressed. My post exclusively deals with otherwise healthy individuals who refuse to adjust their diet to address this problem.
5 - Temple Stark
You're both right. The education aspect of it is important. I ignored that with the focus on "Cure" diabetes in the post. The post is by Mr. Mudd, all that follows are comments.
And congrats MRE on posting on something outside the pre-fab box.
6 - Mr. Real Estate
To become more fully educated and aware of diabetes, its adverse effects and what you or someone you know can do to prevent it, visit www.diabetes.org, the official website of the American Diabetes Association.
7 - KYS
Oops! My apologies to MME...still learning ettiquite =)
8 - Anonymous
Look, I am going to be blunt:
97% of U.S. persons with Diabetes are Type 2 Diabetics. These people become diabetic because they are obese. Period. Their bodies cannot handle the stresses imparted by their consumptive habits and their Endocrine systems begin to fail.
So the cure here for 97% of diabetics is the following: Put the pint of Chunky Monkey down!!! Tah, dah, often times after losing a couple of hundred pounds a Type 2 diabetic person no longer exhibits the symptoms of diabetes.
Type 1, Juvenille Diabetes, is a different story; they represent the other 3% of diabetics. These men, women and children are the real diabetics. They need a real cure. This includes woman who develop Type 1 during pregnancy. These folks are typically thin and normal, but for no as-yet, isolated reason, their bodys' pancreas stops its secretion of insulin thus forcing them to inject insulin just to survive on a daily basis.
Unfortunately, both types of diabetes are collectively lumped together in the public's mind, probably because poor treatment of either causes the same problems: amputation, vision loss, nerve damage, kidney failure, cardiovascular deterioration, death.
9 - Victor Plenty
"Going to be blunt" = "going to be a jerk."
10 - Temple Stark
And anon I'd already laid down that line - without trying to put a figure on it - percentage of body size.
not necessarily obese, though that's definitely a strogn trend.
11 - Mr. Real Estate
Anonymous,
I'm going to be blunt. Both should be cured, period. To find out how you can help contribute toward a cure visit www.diabetes.org. To find out more factual information about diabetes visit The Diabetes Blog.
12 - silent majority
1) Confucious say:
"...keep your pie hole closed you disgusting fat body!"
Wow, just by following those 9 simple words (ok, go ahead and count), Type 2 Diabetics can save money and eliminate this disease from their lives.
2) From The newly uncovered writings of Sun Tzu:
"...allow your enemy to prosper and grow fat. Then he will get Type 2 Diabetes and keel over. You will win without ever fighting...ahhh, again, the acme of skill!"
Sure, the aforementioned Chinese scribes were wise-asses. But, unfortunately, they were right-on, too. May you respond by getting thin and living long!
:)
13 - Mr. T
Foo', I pity the foo' who sit around an' eat twinkies all day and snack food by Frito Lay. He fall to da ground wit' one punch from T's golden punch, Hawaiian Punch. Type 2 Diabetes put 'em right out, knock da lights out, foo'.
14 - Ionamin3
Nice site but do you going to create RSS?
15 - EroComix
WOW! I'll add your site to my bookmarks.
16 - donna somerville
I have diabeties and want to get read of it because it has caused many problems can you help me with this?? I had heard that their is herbs that can cure diabeties do you know them and can you tell me abouth them and how to use them??
Donna from michigan
Thank you
17 - Anon
Cure Type I!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If you are Type II, get your obese butt to the gym!