Type II Diabetes and Obesity Still On the Rise in the US
20 years, 2 months ago
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Posted on Jan 30, 2004, 5 a.m.
By Bill Freeman
Results of the National Center for Health Statistics annual report has revealed that the prevalence of type II diabetes increased by 27% between 1997 and 2002. Amy Bernstein and colleagues found that 6.5% of American adults were diagnosed with diabetes in 2002, compared with 5.1 percent in 1997. It is now thought that 12 million US adults have been diagnosed with type II diabetes and that another 5 million or so people have it but are not aware of it.
Results of the National Center for Health Statistics annual report has revealed that the prevalence of type II diabetes increased by 27% between 1997 and 2002. Amy Bernstein and colleagues found that 6.5% of American adults were diagnosed with diabetes in 2002, compared with 5.1 percent in 1997. It is now thought that 12 million US adults have been diagnosed with type II diabetes and that another 5 million or so people have it but are not aware of it. To make matters worse, another 12 million adults have impaired fasting glucose tolerance, which means that unless they make immediate lifestyle changes they are at high risk of developing diabetes. The report also showed that nearly one third of US citizens are obese and that two thirds are overweight. On a brighter note, life expectancy at birth has increased significantly over the last decade. Girls born in 2001 can now expect to live for 79.8 years, one year longer than those born back in 1990. Meanwhile the average life expectancy for boys has risen by two years since 1990, thus meaning that boys born in 2001 can expect to live for 74.4 years. Infant mortality also reached a record low of 6.8 deaths per 1,000 live births.
SOURCE/REFERENCE: Reported by wwww.reutershealth.com on the 3rd October 2003.
