Diabetes Affects Millions All Over the World: Scientists Say "Take Preventive Measures"
Governments, schools and businesses should work together to stop a global epidemic of diabetes, according to a study by researchers at the University of Australia.
There is no doubt that diabetes is a global problem intertwined with the obesity epidemic. The World Health Organization projects that 366 million people will have the disease by 2030, compared to 171 million in 2000. Diabetics often suffer from depression, heart disease, stroke, renal failure, blindness, impotence, and amputations of limbs. The cost to the United States alone was over $132 billion in 2002.
The Australian team looked at a variety of solutions in terms of their cost and feasibility. They considered having more people undergo surgeries such as stomach stapling to lose weight. They looked at prescribing "polypills" to great masses of people. These pills would contain small does of statins, hypertensive drugs, aspirins, and folates to prevent heart attacks and strokes. They studied how much it will cost to set up more monitoring and services for "pre-diabetes," a condition that has no symptoms and often lasts over ten years.
In the end, the researchers concluded that the best approach would be to involve governments, business and schools to educate and help children and adults become more active and eat healthier foods. Even a small weight loss can have a big effect on whether or not a person gets diabetes. The team envisioned an approach similar to the anti-smoking campaigns used in the past.
This study was published in the September 2006 issue of the American Journal of Public Health.
There is no doubt that diabetes is a global problem intertwined with the obesity epidemic. The World Health Organization projects that 366 million people will have the disease by 2030, compared to 171 million in 2000. Diabetics often suffer from depression, heart disease, stroke, renal failure, blindness, impotence, and amputations of limbs. The cost to the United States alone was over $132 billion in 2002.
The Australian team looked at a variety of solutions in terms of their cost and feasibility. They considered having more people undergo surgeries such as stomach stapling to lose weight. They looked at prescribing "polypills" to great masses of people. These pills would contain small does of statins, hypertensive drugs, aspirins, and folates to prevent heart attacks and strokes. They studied how much it will cost to set up more monitoring and services for "pre-diabetes," a condition that has no symptoms and often lasts over ten years.
In the end, the researchers concluded that the best approach would be to involve governments, business and schools to educate and help children and adults become more active and eat healthier foods. Even a small weight loss can have a big effect on whether or not a person gets diabetes. The team envisioned an approach similar to the anti-smoking campaigns used in the past.
This study was published in the September 2006 issue of the American Journal of Public Health.
Labels: diabetes, healthy_eating, research
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