The statistics are staggering and the numbers are overwhelming. Every time more information is released, the number of individuals in the United States battling diabetes goes up. The number is now 24 million and rising. This is an increase of over 3 million people in just the past two years. This adds up to about 8% of the total population of the country.
In addition to the 24 million people who have actually been diagnosed with diabetes, there are another 57 million people who are considered pre-diabetic. This means that if they take care of themselves right they will be able to postpone the onset of diabetes or avoid it altogether.
On the other hand, if people with pre-diabetes do not watch their diet, engage in at least moderate exercise and limit stress, alcohol and cigarettes, many of them will end up with full blown diabetes.
The good news is that research reveals that the number of people who have diabetes but are not aware of it has gone down from 30% to 25% over a two year period. This means that efforts toward education and awareness are at least beginning to work. Americans are paying attention to the message and taking the time to learn about prevention, symptoms and care.
The decrease in the number of individuals that have diabetes but don’t know it is very important because it can help contain health care costs – especially to the already strained Medicare and Medicaid systems – because more individuals will work on prevention and care with their doctors or community health centers. Rather than allowing the disease to progress to the point where expensive hospitalizations for kidney complications, stroke or amputations due to diabetes, people who are aware of their diabetes and determined to control it can be treated as outpatients, saving them pain and money and resulting in savings for the healthcare system as well.
Though the numbers can be staggering, there is hope. If awareness of diabetes and how to treat and control it becomes a priority, there are millions of people that will be helped and millions of dollars that will be saved.
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