![Type 2 Diabetes Surge by 20% in the Last Decade
Type 2 Diabetes Surge by 20% in the Last Decade](https://images.medindia.net/health-images/1200_1000/glucose-monitoring-device-now-in-blood-sugar.jpg)
Regional disparities in type 2 diabetes prevalence and associated risk factors in the United States
Go to source). The condition was most prevalent among those aged 65 and older, with more than one in five diagnosed. This age group was over 10 times more likely to have diabetes than those aged 18 to 24, while individuals aged 45 to 64 were over five times as likely to receive the diagnosis.
‘Over one in five individuals aged 65 or older had Type 2 diabetes, making them over 10 times more likely to be diagnosed than younger adults. #type2diabetes #medindia
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The research also revealed that individuals with lower incomes experienced a much higher prevalence of diabetes compared to those with higher incomes. Specifically, people with high incomes were 41% less likely to be diagnosed with the disease. Additionally, individuals with a college education had a 24% lower likelihood of receiving a diabetes diagnosis.![twitter](https://images.medindia.net/icons/news/social/twitter.png)
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“Diabetes is increasing day by day in the U.S., and it will increase even more in the coming years,” said Sulakshan Neupane, lead author of the study and a doctoral student in UGA’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. “Diabetes costs around $412 billion, including medical costs and indirect costs like loss of productivity. That’s a huge amount, and it’s only going to increase as more people are diagnosed with the disease.”
Regional and Socioeconomic Disparities in Type 2 Diabetes Prevalence
The researchers used data from the nationally representative Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, an ongoing health survey of more than 400,000 people.They relied on the same dataset for a paper published by the American Journal of Preventive Medicine in April, which emphasized the economic burden of Type 2 diabetes and the increased prevalence of the condition over the same study period as the current paper.
In addition to other risk factors, the researchers found regional differences in diabetes prevalence as well.
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Ten states saw increases of 25% or more over the decade-long study period: Arkansas, Kentucky, Nebraska, Texas, Alabama, Minnesota, Illinois, West Virginia, Delaware and Massachusetts.
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Impact of Weight and Physical Activity on Type 2 Diabetes Risk
Overweight and obese participants were also more likely to report being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. About one in five obese individuals reported having the disease in 2022 while one in 10 overweight participants reported having the condition.Physical activity seemed to guard against diabetes to an extent, with physically active individuals facing a prevalence of under 10% while inactive people experienced a rate at closer to 19%.
“Identifying these risk factors and acting to mitigate them is key,” Neupane said. “Be more active. Pay more attention to your physical health. Some risk factors like age and race cannot be modified, but you can do something to lower risk of diabetes, like, healthy eating, maintaining an active lifestyle and losing weight.”
Reference:
- Regional disparities in type 2 diabetes prevalence and associated risk factors in the United States - (https://dom-pubs.pericles-prod.literatumonline.com/doi/10.1111/dom.15797)
Source-Eurekalert