Funviralpark According to a “shocking” new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health, the number of young Americans with type 2 diabetes will reach nearly 700% by 2060 if current trends continue unchecked. projected to grow exponentially.
Meanwhile, adolescents with type 1 diabetes could surge by up to 65%, according to a new study published in the American Diabetes Association medical journal.
“This new study should serve as a wake-up call for all of us,” said Debra Houry, Ph.D., CDC’s acting chief deputy director, in a statement. “It’s important that all Americans, especially young people, strive to be as healthy as possible.”
More than 37 million Americans (about 1 in 10) already have incurable diabetes, making it the 7th leading cause of death in the nation. According to her latest ADA data, the average medical cost for people living with the disease is $16,752 annually.
Type 1 diabetes, in which the pancreas makes little or no insulin, is most common in people under the age of 20 in the United States. However, type 2 diabetes (when the body cannot process insulin the way it needs to) has “increased significantly” in this demographic over the past two decades, the researchers reported.
Analysis of data by race and ethnicity, in addition to the overall “surge” projection, showed type 2 diabetes among “Black, Hispanic/Latino, Asian, Pacific Islander, and Native American/Alaska Native adolescents” It was predicted that the “burden” of
The researchers said the “worrisome” growth rate could be caused by multiple factors, from gestational diabetes in women of childbearing age (because babies are more likely to develop the disease). , to the ingrained prevalence of childhood obesity in U.S. culture.
Christopher Holliday, director of the CDC’s Diabetes Translation Division, said: “The study’s startling predictions for an increase in type 2 diabetes promote health equity and widening disparities that are already hitting people’s health. shows why it is important to reduce
The most common diabetes health complications include heart disease, chronic kidney disease, nerve damage, and a myriad of other ailments related to feet, mouth, vision, hearing, and mental health.
On the other hand, researchers note that the disease can worsen more quickly in young people than in adults, which may require early treatment.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted just how important it is to address chronic diseases such as diabetes,” added Houry. “This study further underscores the importance of continued efforts to prevent and manage chronic diseases, not only for the current population, but also for future generations.”
