Issue 96 Item 3 Diabetes is a Disease Other People Get!

A new survey finds that most Americans believe diabetes is a major health problem — for somebody else. Seventy-one percent of the 1,055 adults polled in a survey say diabetes is a serious problem in the USA, but 80% have never discussed it with a physician and 67% say they’re not concerned about developing the disease.

Overall, 39% of those polled, say they’re overweight — a risk factor for type 2 diabetes. But the percentages are higher among the middle-aged: 47% of those ages 45-54 say they’re overweight, and 53% of the 55-64 age group consider themselves overweight. Yet, in those groups, only 30% and 36%, respectively, are concerned about developing diabetes.

People seem to recognize that they are overweight, but not the connection between being overweight and the risk of type 2 diabetes. Someone might put 2 and 2 together and get 4 when 80% of people with type 2 diabetes are overweight, and an estimated 6% of non-diabetic people who are overweight will develop diabetes each year.

Twenty years ago, only 2% of children diagnosed with diabetes had type 2. Today, it accounts for 30% to 50% of new diagnoses among children 9 to 19.

It is estimated that we will see the number of diabetics double to over 50 million in the coming years. Then maybe it won’t be just the other guy.