Why does diabetes seem to be a growing concern for the population of the united states?

Answer 1

You are kidding, of course. Obesity is pandemic in the US...teens are so overweight it is sickening. diabetes type II is directly related to obesity and lack of exercise. When most kids sit at a computer and eat, there is little to stop diabetes II from becoming a national medical issue, and it is growing daily. diabetes II leads to diabetes I....a very serious disease that is incurable. Type I leads to kidney failure (dialysis forever more), rapid aging (a 50 year old will look 80), requires constant sticking of your fingers to monitor blood sugar, and 4-10 shots daily of insulin. Such a shame when diet and exercise could make the problem go away IF it is caught in time. Laziness is a sure way to cut one's life down to alarming ages, and the life of a diabetic sucks! I know, I live with one. Good luck

Answer 2

If obesity was the only factor in why diabetes is growing then there would be a lot more people with diabetes today. With over 60% of the population overweight, the estimated 7% of the population, which includes ALL types of diabetes, doesn't quite add up. Not all people with type 2 diabetes are over weight. Obesity is a risk factor, not the cause of it. Type 2 also does not progress to type 1. These are two very different types of diabetes. Type 1 is autoimmune disease where the body's immune system attacks the insulin making beta cells of the pancreas. Type 2 diabetes is caused by insulin resistance...but what causes this resistance is not clear. The resistance exists for many years before a person is diagnosed. This resistance causes the pancreas to produce more insulin to over come this resistance and keep glucose levels in check. When resistance becomes so great that the pancreas can no longer keep up, glucose builds in the blood and the person is diagnosed with diabetes. But during those years when the person is in that prediabetic state they're producing a lot more insulin than a person with a normal regulating system would need. Insulin does more than just allow glucose to enter cells. One of the other many jobs it has is signaling glucose conversion to fat and storing it. All this insulin is circulating in a persons blood stream many years before progressing to diabetes. What is it doing when it can't get glucose into the cells? Maybe some of the other jobs it has...signaling to have excess glucose converted to fat and storing it for later use. That means a person would gain weight. This doesn't mean that lifestyle and exercise can't improve a type 2's health significantly but there's a lot more going on in a type 2's body. Think about your body not able to get the fuel it needs. What do you think your body tells you to do? To eat! And a type 2 who is not getting fuel into the cells would have a body screaming "hey, feed me!" It doesn't recognize that there's plenty of glucose there because the cells are resisting it, it just knows it needs it. These are just a few considerations. Most likely it's the American diet that is causing problems with the resistance. There are many chemicals and altered foods we put in our bodies every day that are potential problems. Trans fats and high fructose corn syrup are two.

Answer 3

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Answer 4

Diabetes is actually becoming a problem around the world, but especially in the US. It has to do with the poor diet many Americans follow, lack of exercise, obesity, stress and poor lifestyle. It also has a genetic component and many people who have diabetes in their families are finding themselves being diagnosed as well.

I am an American currently living in Morocco and diabetes is a concern here too. A lot of the problem here is high carb diets and lots of sugars. Morocco is known for it's yummy breads (khubz), couscous, amazing cakes and candies and mint tea loaded with sugar. I see a specialist here and his office is always full of newly diagnosed patients. It's sad to see.

Answer 5

Because of the high rates of obesity in this country. More and more children are being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes (which is ADULT-onset) because they are so overweight.

Diabetes is not only a problem of itself, but if treated poorly can lead to heart problems, loss of sight, loss of limbs due to gangrene, kidney problems and a multitude of other things.

Answer 6

The high incidence of Diabetes in the U.S. and worldwide for the most part, can be easily traced back to lifestyle. High fat and high carb diets and no exercise will put you on the road to diabetes.

Answer 7

I have Type 2 Diabetes and have never been overweight in my life. I am 39, diabetic for about 15yrs. My Mom was never overweight yet it is Mom whom I got it from. It still boils down to one thing and one thing only, I think, DIET. Our American Diet.

Answer 8

no exercise + bad eating habits= fat,lazy people that will end up with health problems and diabetes is very likely........we need to put away the electronics and walk away from the PC for one hour of brisk walking a day, eat more fresh stuff like veggies and less processed food and reap the bennies!

Answer 9

This is a growing epidemic because of the high-fat content of a lot of foods that we all tend to love and eat. We all need to watch our fat intake and sugar intake. We all need to follow a low-fat, high-fiber rich diet and a lot of the foods that we have available to us lack in these areas. It is especially imperative that we inform our children of this problem and get them on the track of healthier eating options. That is why.

Answer 10

the US has a problem with obesity which is a leading cause of diabetes ... along with many other health problems we have in this country