November is American Diabetes Month. So why should you be concerned about diabetes? Some statistics from the American Diabetes Association might pique your interest.
- Diabetes is the 5th leading cause of death by disease; currently, it's a disease that has no cure.
- Since 1987, the death rate due to diabetes has increased by 45 percent, while the death rates from stroke, cancer, and heart disease have all declined.
- Worldwide, over 246 million people have diabetes. By 2020, that number is expected to rise to 380 million.
- Diabetes is costing our society. In 2002, $92 billion was spent on direct medical costs for diabetes. This means that 1 out of every 10 dollars we spend on health care goes to feed the diabetes beast. The total cost of diabetes to the U.S. each year is estimated to be $132 billion, which includes not only the direct costs but also $40 billion in such indirect costs as disability, work loss, and early death.
- Diabetes is the leading cause of new cases of blindness in adults ages 20-74 years.
- Diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure.
- Men with diabetes are twice as likely to experience erectile dysfunction as men without the disease.
- Adults with diabetes die from heart disease 2 to 4 times more often than adults without diabetes.
With this list of grim statistics about diabetes, however, we must always remember this cause for hope: Diabetes is one of the few serious diseases you can control and actually prevent.
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