Diabetes Rates Rise Faster Than Expected

It’s becoming common knowledge that rates for adult-onset diabetes are increasing at alarming numbers. An article published in a recent edition of the medical journal The Lancet found that the prevalence of diabetes in Ontario is higher than expected.

The study examined the trends in diabetes prevalence and mortality rates for adults older than 20 years of age over a ten-year period from 1995 to 2005, as well as the incidence from 1997 to 2003.

The researchers found that diabetes prevalence increased by 69% over the ten year period. By 2005, about 8.8 per cent of Ontarians over age 20 had diabetes. The rate in 1995 was 5.2%. The rates grew most rapidly in women under 50 (Lipscombe, 2007).

There is, however, some good news in the study- the mortality rate for people with diabetes fell by 25% from 1995 to 2005 (Lipscombe, 2007).

The study did not distinguish between type 1 and type 2 diabetes, but estimated that most (about 90%) are Type 2 (adult-onset). Type 2 diabetes affects the body’s ability to produce enough insulin or use it properly, causing a build-up of glucose in the bloodstream. Strategies such as exercising regularly, quitting smoking, maintaining a healthy body weight, and eating nutritious foods can help to reduce the risk of developing this devastating illness.

References

Lipscombe, Lorraine (2007). Trends in diabetes prevalence, incidence, and mortality in Ontario, Canada 1995–2005: a population-based study. The Lancet; 369:750-756.