On October 26, 2005, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) released their latest diabetes statistics. The new numbers are found in a nine-page document titled: National Diabetes Fact Sheet—2005. This can be read online (www.cdc.gov/diabetes) or downloaded free of charge in PDF (Adobe Acrobat) format. You can also contact: CDC, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention, Office of Communication; telephone: (770) 488-5131.
The new statistics reflect the growing problem of diabetes. Official estimates of diabetics in America are now 20.8 million individuals, with another 41 million in “Pre-Diabetes,” once known as Impaired Glucose Tolerance. An estimated half the people with “pre-diabetes” will go on to develop full diabetes, and, of these, 2/3 will die of heart attack or stroke. Diabetes is the sixth leading cause of death in America.
It is estimated the total number of Americans, age 20 or older, newly diagnosed with diabetes in 2005 will be 1.5 million. The estimated number of Americans with diabetes, not yet diagnosed, has been raised to 6.2 million. This number is the most troubling of all, as what you don’t know you have—you don’t take action to mitigate, and 6.2 million people are daily increasing their risks of heart attack, neuropathy, kidney disease, amputation and blindness.
There is even a revised estimate of the financial cost. The “direct medical cost” of diabetes (money paid to doctor, hospital, and pharmacy) is now $92 billion per year. The “indirect cost” (missed work days, losses in productivity, etc.) is another $40 billion per year.
Other than the new numbers, does this publication tell us anything we don’t
already know? No; the impact, the burden of diabetes, is bad and is getting
worse. If you’ve been diagnosed—follow the rules and take care of
yourself. If you haven’t been checked out (and diagnosis is a simple matter),
do it.