Are We Winning the War Against Diabetes?

Federal researchers on Wednesday reported the first broad national picture of progress against some of the most devastating complications of diabetes, which affects millions of Americans, finding that rates of heart attacks, strokes, kidney failure and amputations fell sharply over the past two decades.

The biggest declines were in the rates of heart attacks and deaths from high blood sugar, which dropped by more than 60 percent from 1990 to 2010…

Beyond the declines in the rates of heart attacks and deaths from high blood sugar, the study found that the rates of strokes and lower extremity amputations — including upper and lower legs, ankles, feet, and toes — fell by about half. Rates for end-stage kidney failure dropped by about 30 percent.

Unfortunately, diagnoses continue to increase: “The number of Americans with diabetes more than tripled over the period of the study and is now nearly 26 million.”

(Sabrina Tavernise & Denise Grady, New York Times)

13 thoughts on “Are We Winning the War Against Diabetes?”

  1. I doubt if we are really winning the war on diabetes. It’s much easier to shovel food in, than take medications, diet and exercise.

    The odds are against us: in military terms, that’s what’s known as an “uphill battle.”

    1. It is an uphill battle with small chances of winning. What we need is a bold general to lead the charge uphill. It has been done before, with other diseases; I don’t see why we cannot do it again.

    2. It also matters what kind of food that is shoveled in. White bread, for example, contains alloxan which is used to INDUCE diabetes in lab rats.

      1. Hard to believe how something be legal to use as an additive in our food that is used to induce diseases into lab rats.

  2. One of the reasons why these figures have decreased sharply is the availability of sugar-free food and food apt for diabetics. This has improved significantly the life of many individuals living with diabetes and those that have a susceptibility of developing this condition. Maybe the figures are not as low as we would have wanted, but is a good signal.

    1. Correct. Increased awareness has really made improvements help fight this disease. Widespread healthy food alternatives will help minimize the damages.

    2. Spreading awareness of the disease, especially among cultural groups, is also very important, as usually minority ethnicities are more susceptible to the disease.

  3. It is interesting to see that, even though diabetes is an epidemic in America, consequences that cripple those with the disease are falling. Increased awareness and medical advances are helping curb the problem.

    1. This also really burdens the current generation. You can thank all of the food additives and chemicals for that.

      1. That’s why the parents of the Baby Boomers lived so long. Sure they smoked 2 packs of cigarettes a day, but they also ate REAL food, not processed junk like we do now.

  4. As someone with a significant other who is diagnosed, this information is very good to read about. It also gives hope to many diabetics who feel they have lost control of their lives.

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