Home | Contact us  
A new health and wellness program for UPSers and their families
 Online Tools
Health Assessment
Interactive Tools
Building a
Living Will
Health Articles
Health Tips
Fact Sheets
Q&As
Quizzes
Glossary
Understanding the Diabetes Epidemic and Its Consequences

With the number of people in our country who have diabetes now exceeding 18 million, chances are good that you know someone who either has it or is at risk for developing it. Diabetes is being called a national epidemic, brought on primarily by the escalation in the numbers of people who are overweight or obese due to poor diets and a lack of exercise. Diabetes is a serious, chronic disease where the pancreas produces too little or no insulin. When this happens, the body loses its ability to turn sugar into usable energy.

Fast Facts

  • Nearly two out of three U.S. adults (64.5 percent) are overweight or obese.
  • An estimated 14 percent of American children are overweight, up from just 6 percent in 1988.
  • The percentage of Americans classified as obese rose from 15 percent in 1980 to 31 percent in 2000.
  • An estimated 18.2 million Americans have diabetes — that's 6.2 percent of the population (of those, only about 13 million have been diagnosed).

U.S. Diabetes-related Costs

Have you ever wondered how much diabetes costs Americans each year?

Total (direct and indirect): $132 billion
Direct medical costs: $92 billion
Indirect costs: $40 billion (disability, work loss, premature death)

Direct medical expenditures totaled $92 billion and comprised $23.2 billion for diabetes care, $24.6 billion for chronic diabetes-related complications, and $44.1 billion for excess prevalence of general medical conditions. Indirect costs resulting from lost workdays, restricted activity days, mortality, and permanent disability due to diabetes totaled $40.8 billion.

Diabetes Symptoms

Only a doctor can diagnose diabetes, but here are some symptoms that may be present in people who have the disease:

  • Frequent urination
  • Excessive thirst
  • Unexplained weight loss
  • Extreme hunger
  • Sudden vision changes
  • Tingling or numbness in hands or feet
  • Feeling very tired much of the time
  • Very dry skin
  • Sores that are slow to heal
  • More infections than usual

Nausea, vomiting, or stomach pains may accompany some of these symptoms in the abrupt onset of insulin-dependent diabetes, called type-1 diabetes.

Living Well With Diabetes: Managing Your Diabetes Is an Investment in Your Life

Type-1 diabetes results when the body fails to produce insulin, the hormone that "unlocks" the cells of the body allowing glucose to enter and fuel them. An estimated 5 to 10 percent of Americans who are diagnosed with diabetes have type-1. Type-2 diabetes, the most common form of the disease, results from insulin resistance (a condition in which the body fails to properly use insulin), combined with related insulin deficiency. Approximately 90 to 95 percent of Americans who are diagnosed with diabetes have type-2 diabetes.

Finding out you have diabetes is scary because it can be life threatening. Managing it responsibly is an investment in your life. Left unchecked, high blood sugar levels can lead to blindness, kidney failure, heart disease, circulatory problems resulting in amputations, and nerve damage.

Diabetes:

  • Raises the risk of cardiovascular disease by two to four times (which is the leading cause of diabetes-related deaths)
  • Heightens the risk of stroke by two to four times
  • Is the leading cause of new cases of blindness in adults, ages 20 to 74
  • Accounts for 40 percent of people who have kidney failure
  • Results in high blood pressure 60 to 65 percent of the time

For a person with diabetes, walking a half hour to an hour a day lowers the risk of dying from heart disease by 40 to 50 percent. It's also very important to follow doctor recommendations for preventive care and medication management.

For More Information

www.diabetes.org

www.eatright.org

www.cdc.gov/diabetes

Questions to Ask Your Doctor Once You Are Diagnosed

If you have diabetes, take care of your heart. Having diabetes puts you at greater risk for a heart attack or stroke. You can live a long and healthy life by managing your blood glucose (sugar), blood pressure, and cholesterol. Start by asking your doctor the following questions.

  • What are my blood glucose, blood pressure, and cholesterol numbers?
  • What should they be?
  • How can I change my lifestyle to live the healthiest possible life?
  • Will I be on insulin? If so, will it be for the rest of my life?
  • What should I do daily to manage my diabetes?
  • How often should I have checkups with you?
  • What are the symptoms of diabetes complications (and what do I do if they occur)?
  • What other things concern you about my condition?
  • Are there support groups, books, or websites you recommend?

Sources: American Diabetes Association; Department of Health and Human Services; National Center for Health Statistics


Site Guide | Disclaimer | Privacy Notice