Scary Diabetes Statistics Keep Getting Worse
In a given day:
- 4000 new cases of diabetes will be diagnosed.
- 600 people will die from diabetes complications.
- 200 people will undergo an amputation due to diabetes.
- 100 cases of kidney failure will occur due to diabetes
These statistics were grimly uttered by Ann Albright, Director of the Division of Diabetes Translation for the Center for Disease Control (CDC).Additionally, she said that "of the children born in America in 2000, one in three will develop diabetes in their lifetime."
In addition, according to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), there are 21 million people in the United States who are diagnosed with diabetes and if something dramatic does not occur in the next 20 years, this number will double! The costs for diabetes will exceed $174 billion dollars in 2008.
- $116 million on medical expenditures
- $58 million on reduced national productivity
"We are spending $174 billion dollars each year on diabetes, just imagine what that will be like when the number of diabetics double" says former Acting US Surgeon General Dr. Kenneth Moritsugu.
The ADA further states that "individuals with diabetes have medical expenditures at about 2.3 times higher than those without diabetes. The average cost incurred among individuals with diabetes is $11,744 per year with $5,649 attributed directly to diabetes."
This has gone from being a serious problem to one that will soon affect every person in this country! Why you ask? Here's why:
- Insurance companies will be paying more for medical costs which will raise EVERYONE'S insurance premiums.
- There will be lower productivity in the workplace which will hurt these same employers who will be paying the higher premiums.
- There will be reduced earnings for individuals and families.
- There will be higher taxes for us all as a portion of the burden of increased health care costs will affect the government and guess who has to pay for that?
- All of this combined means a lower quality and standard of living.
These statistics do not lie. They're getting worse every day. Something has to be done NOW to help everyone who has diabetes but even more let's do all we can, as individuals, to PREVENT diabetes (Type II) from occurring in ourselves, our families, and our friends.
