Published: April 29, 2008 03:00 pm            

Diabetes a preventable epidemic

The epidemic of diabetes in America is now reaching into the womb.



A new report from health officials in California shows that in recent years there’s been a doubling of the number of pre-existing diabetes in pregnant women. For teenage mothers, the rate has increased fivefold.



Expectant mothers who don't control their diabetes face an increased risk of miscarriage and babies have a higher chance of being born with birth defects.



It is yet another indication of the quiet crisis that threatens to overwhelm the healthcare system and could, for the first time in history, lead to a reduced average lifespan for Americans.



Many mistakenly believe diabetes is relatively benign. But there is no cure, it is progressive and is often fatal. It causes a wide range of problems that can attack every organ and lead to the amputation of feet and legs.



Already, more than 20 million Americans are believed to be diabetic and 41 million more are prediabetic, meaning their blood sugar is high.



Within a generation, a huge wave of new diabetes cases could overwhelm the health system and force schools to divert extensive resources into accommodating diabetic children.



The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention predict that one in three children born in recent years will become diabetic in their lifetime.



The good news is that it is in large part a preventable problem. The rate of diabetes has climbed with the increase of obesity.



People with prediabetes can usually prevent the development of type 2 diabetes by making changes to their diet and level of physical activity that can return their blood glucose levels to the normal range.



And the lifestyle change doesn’t have to be dramatic. Health officials say that losing just 5 to 10 percent of body weight and doing moderate physical activity for 30 minutes a day can have dramatic results.



Parents are the first line of defense, encouraging their children to eat healthier and get some exercise. And they can do the same for themselves.



It’s a relatively simple change that will not only improve personal health, but help stave off a burden on society that will be extremely costly both economically and in human terms.



Mankato (Minn.) Free Press

        

• Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.