According to a new report from the BioMed Central, 1 in 3 people within the United States will have Type 2 diabetes by 2050, if current trends continue. These alarming projections highlight the need for intervention in order to keep the numbers from climbing up. Elly Kleinman, the founder of Americare informs that currently, 1 in 10 Americans has Type 2 diabetes, but it is possible that its prevalence could double or triple over the next 40 years period.
The most common form of diabetes is Type 2 Diabetes, which is triggered by a combination of several factors, such as family history and controllable factors, such as obesity and inactivity. Furthermore, Kleinman says that according to recent data, it's also the seventh leading cause of death in the United States, and the leading cause of leg and foot amputations, kidney failure and new cases of blindness.
The SCALAR health blog states in a post that the number of Americans diagnosed with diabetes is estimated to increase by about 165%, going from 11 million in 2000, and a prevalence of 4.0%, to 29 million in 2050, and a prevalence of 7.2%. Kleinman also points that the prevalence of diabetes is expected to rise sharply, mostly because of the increasing numbers of the aging population, Type 2 Diabetes among minority groups that are at high risk, and greater longevity for people living with diabetes.
Diabetes prevalence among Americans in 2050, both diagnosed and undiagnosed, could range from 21 percent or about 76 million to 33 percent or 100 million people. Currently, there are around 24 million Americans affected by diabetes, and one-quarter of them are undiagnosed. Elly Kleinman believes that these alarming figures show just how important and critical is for people to start improving their lifestyles, make smarter eating choices and exercise more often. Physical activity and proper diet can reduce the risk of developing diabetes, and it can even help control the condition in diabetics. There are many effective prevention programs directed at high-risk groups that can reduce future increases in diabetes prevalence, although it is impossible to completely eliminate them.
