Rates of Type 2 Diabetes in US Shoot Up

Diet Expert | Oct 03, 2009 | Comments 0

Did you know that November is American Diabetes Month? Now that we’ve gorged on Halloween candy and are getting ready for some calorie laden holiday meals, the CDC has chosen this month to share some sobering news. The rates of Type 2 Diabetes in the US (by far the most common kind) have increased from 4.8 per 1,000 in 1995-1997 to 9.1 per 1,000 in 2005-2007. That’s a 90% increase.

What’s more, about one third of us don’t even know we have diabetes. If you haven’t had a checkup in a while, and are having any of the symptoms listed here you might want to make an appointment. Undiagnosed diabetes causes:

- Slow-healing sores or cuts
- Itching of the skin (usually around the groin area)
- Frequent yeast infections
- Recent weight gain
- Velvety dark skin changes of the neck, armpit, and groin
- Numbness and tingling of the hands and feet
- Vision deterioration
- Impotence

Obesity was cited as a major predictor of developing diabetes according to the CDC survey data, the first to give a state-by-state analysis of diabetes rates.

According to the CDC numbers, West Virginia has the distinction of being the diabetes capital of the USA. The other nine states where diabetes is on the rise are Alabama, Arizona (the only non southern state), Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas. Even in the state with the lowest rate, Minnesota, diabetes is up a whopping 67% over 1997 levels, with 5 new cases per every 1000 residents. California has the biggest number of new cases.

“The growth in diabetes prevalence has been concomitant with growth in obesity prevalence,” says CDC data analyst Karen Kirtland PhD who issued the report with colleagues in the Oct. 31 issue of Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

The good news is that you can cut your risk of developing diabetes, by as much as 58% by doing two very simple things.

1) Lose 5 to 10% of your current body weight.
2) Get 30 minutes of moderate activity 5 days a week.

In case you’re wondering how your state did, here’s the list, in order of annual, age-adjusted new cases per year of diabetes per 1,000 residents. Percentage increases shown are from the rates of 1995-1997.

West Virginia: 12.7 new cases, up 119%
So. Carolina: 11.5 new cases, up 113%
Alabama: 11.3 new cases, up 109%
Georgia: 11.2 new cases, up 81%
Texas: 11.1 new cases, up 156%
Tennessee: 11.0 new cases, up 112%
Kentucky: 10.5 new cases, up 163%
Arizona: 10.4 new cases, up 100%
Florida: 10.3 new cases, up 203%
Indiana: 10.2 new cases, up 76%
Arkansas: 10.2 new cases, up 122%
North Carolina: 10.1 new cases, up 77%
Idaho: 9.8 new cases, up 216%
California: 9 new cases, up 36%
Missouri: 8.8 new cases, up 69%
New Mexico: 8.7 new cases, up 64%
Pennsylvania: 8.6 new cases, up 83%
Maine: 8.3 new cases, up 102%
New Hampshire: 8 new cases, up 135%
Iowa: 8 new cases, up 63%
Utah: 7.8 new cases, up 73%
New Jersey: 7.7 new cases, up 64%
Virginia: 7.6 new cases, up 38%
South Dakota: 7.3 new cases, up 181%
Montana: 7.1 new cases, up 97%
North Dakota: 7.0 new cases, up 35%
Oregon: 6.7 new cases, up 43%
Vermont: 6.6 new cases, up 43%
Ohio: 6.3 new cases, up 91%
Colorado: 6.2 new cases, up 72%
Wyoming: 6.1 new cases, up 15%
Hawaii: 5.9 new cases, up 40%
Minnesota: 5.0 new cases, up 67%