The Type 2 Diabetes Epidemic and Our Own Personal Responsibilities

With people becoming significantly more overweight lately in our society, and the rising obesity levels reaching consistently all time highs the type 2 diabetes epidemic seems to be growing out of control. The rates of diabetes diagnosis is reaching record new levels at an alarming rate, and is only expected to get worse. Between 2001 and 2002, the number of Americans diagnosed as having diabetes went from 5.5 percent to an alarming 6.5 percent, all within a single year.

Overall, approx 20 million Americans have been diagnosed with some form of diabetes, and another 5 million Americans have diabetes now and don't know it, or havent been diagnosed as yet. Plus another 12 million are pre-diabetic (on their way to developing type 2 diabetes because of their lifestyle and impaired glucose levels) A new study estimated that the number of Americans living with diabetes will double over the next 25 years, tripling the cost of associated health care to 336 billion dollars; and this is assuming the 'proportion of people' in the population with diabetes does not change, said the researchers.

Not knowing you have diabetes is the worst case because the risks to your health associated with untreated diabetes puts you at a risk of life limiting complications, such as (but not limited to) blindness, amputations kidney failure, heart attack, stroke, and ultimately death. The interesting thing is, that type 2 diabetes is almost entirely preventable. Doctors tell you to eat less, eat better and exercise, but most don't heed of the good advice. In fact the numbers show just how many Americans are currently overweight.

Perhaps what gives people the false sense of security is that on a whole, people are now living much longer, with average life expectancies now nudging 80. However, unless we get a handle on how to best control this global type 2 diabetes epidemic, then the average life expectancy will expectedly peak and we will probably then start to see a downwards spiral.

The Western world overall are a gluttonous society, which since the easy advent of fast and ready, highly processed foods, has resulted in the epidemic we are all experiencing in our societies today. Some people may shrug the diabetes epidemic off, and say that it doesn't affect them, but unfortunately that is a short sighted view, for regardless of whether or not, you do, or are likely to suffer from diabetes, now or in the future, it remains a fact that it will be all taxpayers who end up contributing to the health costs of treating diabetics, which in turn pushes the cost of health insurance up for everybody.

Diabetes now affects more of the young middle-aged population in developing countries between the ages of 40 and 59, but is also now having a major impact on the health of the young kids (under 15) that have forgotten what it's like to be active and involved in regular exercise, instead choosing a sedentary lifestyle, with a highly calorific, high Glycemic Index, takeaway food diet.

As responsible people in charge of our own lives, we need to make the effort to eat better, and live better so as to prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes, or if we've already been diagnosed, we need to ensure we don't become part of the statistics by looking after our own health and wellbeing by ensuring we maintain effective type 2 diabetes control.

Maintaining good type 2 diabetes control is essential to minimize the damage high blood sugar can do to your body. Type 2 diabetes is a life changing disease, but it does provide the opportunity for you to start living a healthy, fulfilling life. If you want to beat your type 2 diabetes, there are natural ways to reverse diabetes & normalize your blood sugar levels that definitely work. To find out how to reverse your pre diabetes, or type 2 diabetes condition, go to Type 2 Diabetes Control

Article Source: http://www.wellnessarticlelibrary.com

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