26 Dec TYPE 2 DIABETES: DON’T BECOME A STATISTIC!
A report released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has a grim prediction for America’s future. It estimates that by the year 2050, 1 in 3 adults will have type 2 diabetes — two to three times more than today’s already concerning rates. However alarming this report is, it is, unfortunately not surprising. Obesity is a major risk factor for developing type 2 diabetes. Currently, over 40% of US adults suffer from clinical obesity. Add another 33.3% who fall into the overweight category, and you can clearly see the problem.
What is type 2 diabetes?
Also known as adult-onset diabetes, type 2 diabetes is a chronic disease characterized by elevated blood sugar levels caused by insulin resistance. People suffering from the condition have a 10 times greater risk of having a heart attack or stroke. In addition, there are also the heightened risks of blindness, kidney failure, a weakened immune system, wound infections, and limb amputations. Uncontrolled type 2 diabetes also increases medical costs and lowers overall productivity. It is a devastating condition for patients, caregivers, and society as a whole.
Can type 2 diabetes be reversed?
Once diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, it cannot be clinically reversed. However, you can successfully manage it with the right mindset and toolset. The first issue to assess and address is excess weight and fat. More often than not, excess body weight, lack of physical exercise, and an empty-calorie diet trigger the onset of type 2 diabetes. Unfortunately, these factors describe the typical American lifestyle and experience.
And if you don’t have a clinical diagnosis of type 2 diabetes, you should adopt behaviors to prevent it from developing. Especially if you have a family history of the disease.
How to manage and prevent type 2 diabetes
Ultimately, all change needs to start at the individual level (that means you!). By understanding the nutritional and behavioral keys to a healthy weight, you give yourself an edge in staving off the onset of type 2 diabetes. This means choosing healthy foods low in sugar, fat, and sodium and sticking to a daily calorie limit in line with your weight loss or weight maintenance goals. Support your nutritional plan with a robust exercise cardio and strength-based exercise routine. To supercharge your efforts, make sure to get enough quality sleep and manage chronic stress to keep your hormones in balance. In fact, 8 out of 10 people with type 2 diabetes could manage their condition with lifestyle changes and weight loss. This can lead to money savings, reduced need for prescriptions, and avoiding possible side effects.
If behavioral and lifestyle changes alone don’t lead to anticipated results, you may also take advantage of breakthrough GLP-1 medications that help to control blood sugar levels if you suffer from type 2 diabetes (e.g., Ozempic and Mounjaro). Or, GLP-1 medications that focus specifically on weight loss (e.g., Wegovy and Zepbound). These medications use either semaglutide or tirzepatide as the active ingredient, mimicking natural hormones in the body. Patients eligible to use GLP-1 medications have seen a range of 15%-25% weight loss. Their results show promise in helping to stem the trends towards crisis levels of type 2 diabetes.
Other ideas to help
We know that successful weight loss and chronic disease management benefits from the existence of a strong social network. Friends and family should enable and encourage healthy choices and not sabotage them (knowingly or not).
But what about the support of the wider community?
For example, the government could support state and local efforts to build more bike and pedestrian-friendly infrastructure to facilitate safe areas for physical exercise. In addition, taxes on junk food could be considered to discourage the consumption of highly processed foods that contribute to obesity and type 2 diabetes. It can be controversial, but a similar strategy taxing tobacco products resulted in lower smoking rates.
Employers and schools can also play a large part in helping people control their weight and reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. This can include healthier cafeteria menus and vending machine options. Companies can consider onsite gyms or gym membership subsidies while schools expand physical education programs. Employees and students should be incentivized and rewarded for making healthy-weight choices. It helps to build a robust culture of wellness, something our American society sorely needs.
In short, this report is a call to action that our culture needs to take very seriously. How about you? Do you or someone you love have diabetes? One in four people with diabetes don’t even know it, leaving them at serious risk for a dangerous progression of damage. We challenge you to take charge of your future health starting today! You don’t have to become a statistic.