What the latest results say about the future state of diabetes and treatment

In 2011, the Centers for Disease Control published its latest findings on the state of diabetes amongst Americans. According to the CDC's National Diabetes Fact Sheet, the rise in diabetes continues to escalate across different age and ethnic groups throughout the country.

Currently, diabetes affects 25.8 million people in the U.S. This comprises 8.3% of the population, or nearly 1 in 10. Among these, 18.8 million have officially been diagnosed and 7 million remain undiagnosed and are likely have this illness. Diabetes remains the leading cause of kidney failure, lower limb amputations, blindness, heart disease, and stroke among adults. Subsequently, it is the seventh leading cause of death in the country.

With much of modern life settling into a sedentary lifestyle, these numbers have the potential to increase even more with people exercising less and gaining more weight, thus leading more health problems, including diabetes. The CDC projects that if the current rate of diagnosis remains unchanged, 1 in 3 Americans could be living with diabetes by the year 2050.

There are many factors contributing to this occurrence, most of which are attributed to age, ethnicity, and lifestyle. Children and teens have been among the most affected, particularly those between ages 10 and 19, as they experienced a steady rise in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

As of 2010, about 215,000 youth under 20 are living with diabetes. In a joint study performed by the CDC and National Institutes of Health (NIH), around 15,600 youth were newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes between 2002 and 2005. Conversely, only 3,600 were diagnosed with type 2. Since then, the number has risen to a total of 215,000 youth living with either type of diabetes in our present society. Because diabetes is a lifelong condition, these numbers present a pressing need for diabetic supply companies to manufacture and distribute diabetes-related products in greater quantities as the adult diabetic population expands.

Current adults have also experienced a rise in diabetes cases within the past decade. Seniors were among the most affected, as 10.9 million people 65 and older were confirmed with the condition in 2010. This is more than 25% of the people in this age group. Fortunately, there were only 390,000 of these cases were newly diagnosed, which means the rate is slowing down compared to other age groups. Nevertheless, seniors remain at higher risk for a number of diabetes complications, including heart disease and stroke, hypertension, and blindness.

With rising medical costs, an aging population, and computer-based workplaces becoming the norm, the diabetic condition is not likely to be going away anytime soon. Because diabetes is largely genetically-based, young people with diabetic parents will likely find it difficult to avoid getting diabetes as an adult. At the same time, things can be done to delay on the onset until later on in life.

Keeping a healthy diet and exercise routine can stave off obesity, which one of the leading factors of diabetes. It can also keep the heart healthier and blood sugar levels down. Doing these things earlier in life has proven to delay the onset of diabetes, allowing life to be enjoyed in fuller, healthier manner.