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Subscribe to RSSDiabetes is running at record levels worldwide and half the people estimated to have the disease are, as yet, undiagnosed, according to a report on Wednesday.
The number of people living with diabetes is now put at 371 million, up from 366 million a year ago, with numbers expected to reach 552 million by 2030, the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) said.
Diabetes is often viewed as a western problem, since the vast majority of people have type 2 disease which is linked to obesity and lack of exercise.
But the disease is also spreading rapidly in poorer countries, alongside urbanization, and four out of five diabetics now live in low and middle-income countries, opening up new opportunities and challenges for the drug industry.
China alone has 92.3 million people with diabetes, more than any other nation in the world, and the hidden burden is also enormous in sub-Saharan Africa where limited healthcare means less than a fifth of cases get diagnosed.
The IDF estimates that, globally, 187 million people do not yet know they are suffering from the condition.
Diabetics have inadequate blood sugar control which can lead to serious complications, including nerve and kidney damage and blindness. Worldwide deaths from the disease are running at 4.8 million a year.
The disease is one of a number of chronic conditions - along with cancer, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases - that healthcare campaigners want included in the next set of global development goals, which will replace outgoing Millennium Developments Goals in 2015.
For the international drugmakers, diabetes offers riches, with global sales of diabetes medicines expected to reach $48-$53 billion by 2016, up from $39.2 billion in 2011, according to research firm IMS Health.
China to Africa
Tapping into the potential of increased demand in emerging markets, however, requires a twin-track approach from drug companies which have traditionally focused on pricey new therapies for rich-world markets.
These days, there is a lot more focus on high-volume but lower-margin business in developing economies, many of which are predicted to show high double-digit percentage sales growth for diabetes medicines for years to come.
The shift is already yielding results.
China, for example, is now the second-largest market behind the United States for the world's biggest maker of insulin - Danish group Novo Nordisk. It is also a major focus for rivals such as Eli Lilly, Merck & Co, and Sanofi.
Poorer countries are more difficult, especially when it comes to insulin, which must be kept cool if it is not to deteriorate. While most patients start on cheap generic diabetes pills, such as metformin, many need insulin as their disease progresses.
Still, Novo Nordisk thinks it has cracked part of the problem in Kenya, where a project using churches and other local groups has reduced the number of middlemen in the supply chain and cut the cost of a month's supply of insulin to around 500 Kenyan shillings ($6).
So far, the project only covers around 1,000 Kenyans but Jesper Hoiland, Novo's head of international operations, is confident his company's low-price model will become profitable as it increases in scale. "It will take three to five years to get to breakeven," he said in an interview.
In the meantime, similar pilot schemes are being tested in rural India and Nigeria.
Other major drugmakers like Sanofi, which has a significant presence in Africa, are also adopting "tiered" or differential pricing to open up developing world markets.
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Too tough to get sick? Why men won't go to the doctor. Ever
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Genome sequencing halts superbug outbreak
Copyright 2013 Thomson Reuters. Click for restrictions.
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It is said that for every known diabetic out there, there is the same number that have it but not been diagnosed. It is not just a disease for those who are overweight, it takes about 8 years of abusing your pancreas by not eating properly before the symptoms of diabetes start to show up. Too much of our food is processed, modified and we no longer eat things made from scratch which would cut out many of the chemicals in our processed food. Just look at when this disease exploded and you will see that it is around the same time our food was modified. Changing our food changes how our body processes it, therefore the increase in obesity, cancer, other diseases. Obesity is NOT just from not exercising.
There is an increasing number in the medical community alluding out growing evidence that it is possibly genetic in origin.
Both my parents were crazy skinny their entire lives, and they were both developed diabetes in their mid-50s. They went straight to insulin, too, no pills. My dad was 5' 6", extremely fit (washboard abs in his older years), weighed 125 lbs--he had no weight to lose, and my mom was very tiny, too. I personally think their symptoms, except for their age, indicated Type I diabetes rather than Type II. BTW, they both blamed genetics AND the very high fat diets that they had during the Depression for their diabetes. They were long gone before modified foods came about. Both parents had stories of relatives who died as young adults, that would go along with Type I diabetes.
My dad had all the symptoms listed below (the ones that apply to males) right before his diagnosis, and the onset was rapid. He was fired from his job, as someone smelled the fruity breath and thought he was drunk. He ended up having a stroke, and his diabetes was discovered then. He had to be reinstated at his job, but he chose a retirement and went to his other job full-time instead. My mom had most of these symptoms, too, especially vision problems, thirst and fatigue.
Yes, I do get my blood sugar checked, at every opportunity.
WTF.. I don't want to here about corporations and emerging markets. Bait and switch headlines suck!
I agree with the genetic component as well. I developed diabetes almost 20 years ago. My ex husband was diabetic and our daughters developed it also, now my grandson is being watched as the doctor says it is not a matter of if, but when he will develop it, he is now 8 years old and has been showing subtle signs of becoming diabetic. Nothing the doctors will listen to as they don't want to until it is beyond a shadow of a doubt, however, if they would listen and treat him accordingly perhaps they can help him now before it is full blown diabetes, I think sometimes their old school ideas are part of the problem why so many may be walking around undiagnosed. If they don't see it, then it isn't true.
I accept the genetic component - to a degree.
I think that if your genetics are pre-disposed to react poorly to a diet high(er) in sugar, it will present with diabetes. I'm not sure what the statistics are, but it would be very interesting to know how many people are diabetic and absolutely abstain from all foods and drinks that are problematic to diabetes, and yet still have all the problems that come with diabetes.
I doubt there are very many that fit into that camp - but if there are, those are the ones who have genetic diabetes.
The rest of us (and I might very well have diabetes and not know it) simply consume too much sugar.
It's proven that lots of people lose their diabetes by eating right, losing weight and maintaining a healthy lifestyle (exercise)...we just cant possibly know how the stats would ever shake out, because so many dont do anything about their eating habits/lifestyle and just opt for medication to mask the entire problem, or at best - simply keep it in check.
we are a world full of people who simply want to do what we want and hit the easy button to fix our problems...and eventually, it will destory us. either financially or physically.
Jessica 1.5
What you state is essentially true, but equally true is that people that are fit and active also contract type 2 diabetes. There are even professional athletes, among the fittest, lowest body fat, energetic people and they still develop diabetes, hence the genetic component.
BTW, while excessive sugar does no one any good, carbohydrates are the real villain.
I read the article. I understood it. But beyond the first sentence, I don't see what the rest of it had to do with the headline.
I thought this article would have been helpful, not the rampant "Diabetes is becomeing a world problem" blurb. Here's how the article should have gone:
"Diabetes is running at record levels worldwide and half the people estimated to have the disease are, as yet, undiagnosed, according to a report on Wednesday.
"The number of people living with diabetes is now put at 371 million, up from 366 million a year ago, with numbers expected to reach 552 million by 2030, the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) said.
"People with type 2 diabetes often do not have any symptoms. When symptoms do occur, they are often ignored because they may not seem serious. Symptoms in type 1 diabetes usually come on much more suddenly and are often severe.
"Common symptoms of diabetes include:
"Call Your Doctor About Diabetes If:
"You feel nauseated, weak, and excessively thirsty; are urinating very frequently; have abdominal pain
"You are breathing more deeply and rapidly than normal -- perhaps with sweet breath that smells like nail polish remover -- you need immediate medical attention for ketoacidosis -- a potentially deadly complication of type 1 diabetes.
"If you are having weakness or fainting spells; are experiencing a rapid heartbeat, trembling, and excessive sweating; and feel irritable, hungry, or suddenly drowsy. You could be developing hypoglycemia -- low blood sugar that can occur with diabetes treatment. Follow your treatment plan for what to do if you develop hypoglycemia."
~everything after the first 2 paragraphs I stole from WebMD~
Agreed. At least some discussion of the possible symptoms that would at least tie in to people living with it but not knowing would have been appropriate.
Truly a tragic epidemic for sure.
There is hope.
A company, Mannkind Corp (NASDAQ MNKD), has a unique inhailable insulin that mimics the body's natural insulin profile almost perfectly - even the FDA likes it!
No risk of 'hypos', need for titration (blood letting), weight gain, effect on pulmonary function etc. In fact it works so well the FDA is considering using it on pre-diabetics, hoping it will REVERSE diabetes by reducing strain on the pancreas.
I won't bore you but to suggest reading about this 'wonder drug' - should be approved ~ 3Q13 and priced competitvely.
JR12 - does it work better than cutting sugar out of your diet, eating healthy and exercising?
this article has reminded me that it's not a bad idea just to get tested. I might have it, I might not.
Who doesnt have SOME of the symptoms described above SOME TIMES? I know I do...
So if my doctor says "bad news, you've got diabetes" - I absolutely WOULD NOT opt for medication.
I'd cut sugar out of my diet, eat healthy, exercise more...and get retested to see if I knocked the diabetes out of my system.
I realize, thats not the "easy" method...it doesnt allow me to continue to eat and drink some of my favorite things: coca cola, candy, breads, ect.
but, it's the healthiest option - and cheapest.
How about the media try to educate people on the difference between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. They are two different diseases, with two different causes. Most Type 1 diabetics are diagnosed as children, and did absolutely nothing to cause their disease. It is an auto-immune disease.
How about we separate the negative stigma so that these people with Type 1 diabetes don't need to suffer any more than they already do living with this condition.
I totally agree with you.
@AngryMomVA -- "How about we separate the negative stigma so that these people with Type 1 diabetes don't need to suffer any more than they already do living with this condition."
You separate the negative stigma by not being so judgmental of others (Type II diabetics). What difference does it make how the individual got the disease. It is an illness that needs to be properly addressed (whether losing weight, changing eating habits, education, or maintaining good blood sugar control).
@AngryMomVA So a person who has type II who is of normal weight and exercises regularly etc and was told they probably got it due to genetics should have a negative stigma?
annsrum thank you for your response. I'm sick and tired of folks ass-u-me-ing that fat, obese folks are the ones with type II. My ex is a runner, marathans, half-marathons, etc, had been running for 30 years when he was diagnosed with type II. He is not fat, obese, sedentary or an eater of junk food. I have type II, I workolut out six days a week, burning at minimum, 1,000 calories per week from my workouts, someone explain why my being a type II has a negative stigma.
Annsrum & NTP, I agree with you. This is like people assuming my sister-in-law who is fighting lung cancer "deserves" her condition, even though she is a young mom with young children and has never smoked, ever, and has never lived with smokers nor worked with smokers.
@AngryMomVA how about we try to educate ourselves, this is part of the problem we hold others accountable for something we should be taking the initiative in doing, we know when things change in our bodies, we have heard so much about diabetes, why not look into it ourselves and see what symptoms we may or may not have? If we can do this for ourselves WE may just save our own lives and perhaps that of others in our family who may have the symptoms?
Why is it everyone else's problem and not ours to take care of our own health?
@notthepest: you and others seem to be confusing the issue of body weight and size with body fat and insulin tolerance.
Type 2 diabetes is nothing more than a high level of insulin resistance and carbohydrate intolerance. It's usually diagnosed by the results of a glucose tolerance test. In other words, you have to cross an arbitrary line on the test to be diagnosed with diabetes.
The problem with your assessment of your health as an endurance athlete is that prolonged steady state exercise like a marothon or even multi-hour gym session lead to a chronic elevation of cortisol.
Cortisol is the so called "energy freeing" hormone that provides for freeing up sugar stores for use when available energy is low and time between meals(refeeding) is long.
Insulin is the direct antagonist hormone that replenishes sugar stores after re-feeding.
The conclusion is that type 2 diabetes is in fact a direct consequence of chronically poor or progressively worsening nutrition choices and exercies habits, even if an individual is not clinically overweight.
The HUGE positive side to type 2 diabetes(very unfortunate for type 1 individuals) is that you can incrementally improve insulin tolerance over time and in effect move back over the clinical "line" representing diabetes.
Please don't take this as an attack on your lifestyle or your goals as an athlete.
Of course I also don't want to say that certain individuals aren't genetically less tolerant to carbohydrates.
In fact, this varies greatly from culture to culture by type of sugar. Asians for example seem to be more tolerant of basics sugars like glucose in white rice but intolerant of milk sugars. Northern Europeans tend to be more tolerant(genetically) to lactose(milk sugar). African and native american populations have poor tolerance in general to carbohydrates.
I've worked with athletes with a variety of goals as a traineer and coach. The best advice I could give them to improve overall health and lower physical stress(cortisol is sometimes refered to as a stress hormone) is to refeed more often around their training time with high carb or carb/protein drinks and avoid carbs as much as possible the rest of the day. Breakfast is an exception for allowing high carbs if you're already relatively lean and strong/muscular.
Good luck.
This just strikes me as wrong. Profiting from health "care."
I found this phrase the most annoying:
I'm glad to hear the worldwide spread of diabetes is an "opportunity" for the drug industry. At least there's a bright side. /s
Profiting from health treatment. The modern health industry has little to do with "care" anymore.
I agree that the profits are a little opportunistic. It is disturbing that insulin is $6 a month in Kenya, but I'm paying over $100 a month for the same thing. And that's on top of the really big profit maker - Test strips that run over $100 a month.
I think the focus on money is a problem you have, what I took from this sentence is that they are being challenged to come up with better options for diabetics that will help us take care of ourselves without having to give injections and pinpricks. These companies will put out a lot of money to try to find or create these options for us so if they make money to help us how is that any different than the companies we work for?
just me,
I saw that too, and I understand the "challenges" part. But it still seems wrong to profit off of suffering.
Just me - I dont agree.
They dont move into a market that has ZERO promise to make money at a certain clip. They wouldnt bring drugs to a region desperate for help, if their margins were to low or break even.
So the challenge isnt "how do we help these people most effectively" but how do we make money in this market.
On some level I get it, profits help them focus on the next challenge. So if the profits are continually rolled back into the system to develope better drugs and help people more...i can stand behind that.
But if the profits are going to some idiotic CEO and their shareholders...sorry, they arent looking to help anyone but themselves, off the misfortune of others.
sometimes, things just shouldnt be FOR PROFIT - and I believe healthcare is one of those things.
we'd see a much healthier nation/world if the profit was taken out of the equation - and the real focus was simply on "what is best to do".
lots of people wouldnt be getting diabetes meds, they'd be forced to change their lifestyles PERMANENTLY - and that would only benefit them in the long run, health and financially.
We have to get off of our addiction to sugar. simple as that.
You're referring to Type 2 diabetes. Type 1 is unavoidable.
Type 2 diabetes is caused less by over consumption of sugars or complex starches than just being plain sedentary.
Human bodies are not designed to sit for hours on end. Anyone who is diabetic and taking meds for it knows that even mild exercise (walking or even moving about the house and yard doing chores) lowers blood sugar at least as much as the meds themselves.
If you sit for more than 3 hours at a time even a couple of times per day you are at high risk of developing diabetes or some other related metabolic syndrome no matter what your weight is.
For those people who work sitting or those addicted to their computers, making a habit of getting up and walking around for a bit (even 5 minutes) at least once an hour can make all the difference.
And no, the thumb exercise you get from texting does not count. :)
Culheath, please educate yourself about type 2 diabetes. It does NOT strike only overweight sedentary types. You could start by reading the comments in here.
I was diagnosed a Type II diabetics for about a decade ago.
I am 63, 5'11" and fluctuate between 175 and 185 lbs. I do not not eat sweets, sodas or other junk food and am for the most part a vegetarian. I am however fairly sedentary as both a musician and computer tech and have discovered that even rudimentary exercise or movement is crucial to control.
And I never said anything about issues of being overweight. I was pointing out that the most importantly element in controlling diabetes is physical exercise and the onset of type 2 diabetes being more a matter of sedentary lifestyles than diet.
I don't know if I have it or not, even though I have relatives with it, and I'm over the age of 50. I can't afford the doctor visits, and I know I won't be able to afford the tester, the test strips, etc.
Try Walmart's ReliOn products, they're accurate & dirt cheap. They also have an A1c home test that you can use before you talk to your doctor.
There are also other retailers that will give you prescribed diabetes medication and supplies for free.
Thank you. I wondered why there were home tests for AIDS and pregnancy, but not diabetes.
@elkmeadow, if you have it can you afford not to do these things? It will mean an early death for you if you won't do this for yourself, look in your budget for where you can cut things to use the money for your healthcare? Are their organizations you can go to? Try the American Diabetes Association, or your local hospital may have a diabetes clinic where you can get help with these things. It is best if you can say I have to, instead of saying I can't because your life may depend upon it. Don't defeat yourself before you try.
just me, I know of many people who cannot afford health care of any kind. Untreated diabetes, high blood pressure, rotting teeth, etc. They have jobs without benefits and are barely able to keep a roof over thier heads and food on the table. There is ZERO medical aid or help for adults in my state. People wait until thier problems are so bad that they can go to an emergency room.
Many of these issues will become life threatening left untreated and will no doubt contribute to early deaths. No one seems to care that they cannot earn a living wage and that health care is astronomically expensive and out of their reach.
You can eat healthy, do the exercises and everything, and still have the genes that sets off your pancreas and puts your body into type 2 diabetes.
Yep that would be me. I wish people would quit assuming what caused a person to have type II.
Yes, there are many people with type II diabetes who probably have it because of there lifestyle and eating habits, but there should be no negative stigma attached. they could benefit from education and help in changing their lifestyle. Most doctors who treat diabetics have links to dietitians who can help with proper food choices. I have type II and am not overweight, exercise, and try to eat healthy. I knew years ago that I would probably have diabetes. My father had diabetes as did his seven brothers and sisters. My brother also has diabetes. In our case we are 100% sure the cause is genetic, NOT from our lifestyle.
I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at the age of 63. It is not always a childhood disease. In my case, it was genetic. My brother has been Type 1 for 45 years and I have a cousin who was diagnosed at the age of 8 months. Sooner or later your genes catch up with you!
It sounds like you may have MODY (Maturity Onset Diabetes) which is genetic. It runs in my family and seems to have usually hit males in their 30s in our family. It behaves like Type I, but underlying it may be abnormal development of the internal organs, including the pancreas. Gestational diabetes possibly affect this.
According to my doctor, it is LADA (latent auto immune diabetes in adults), which is just slow-onset Type 1. My endocrinologist makes no distinction between LADA and Type 1. The only difference is that you don't have to go on mealtime insulin right away -- basal insulin and carb restriction works for a few years.
Type I diabetes simply means that your pancreas makes NO insulin at all and you will be on insulin. It can be caused by any number of reasons. The wide majority are diagnosed as kids. It does have a strong herditary bases. These people are often thin.
Type II diabetes means your cells are insulin resistant as well as your pancreas making a reduced amount of insulin. your body will produce just enough insulin to store sugar and it will be stored as fat because your other cells are insulin resistant. This produces fatiuge and hunger and thirst. Sometimes this just comes with the aging process, more often it has a strong herditary bases. more often it comes with a poor diet and obesity. Not everybody that gets this disease is obese. It has many different causes. not everybody that is obese will be diabetic. BUT, the percentage of obese people getting diabetes is extremly high. High enough that those that are obese and eat a diet high in fat and carbs and junk food need to get be tested on a regular basis. This disease will eventually kill you, but it will torture you first. And please bear in mind that not everybody that develops diabetes will have all of those symptoms. also note that if your diabetic you are also prone to high blood pressure heart disease and kidney disease blindness and a host of other problems. like i said this disease will torture you before it kills you.
From what I have read on diabetes there is also a 3rd type which is a combination of type 1 and type2, I don't know much about it at this point however but would love to know more.
I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at the age of 63. In my case it is genetic. My brother has been Type 1 for 45 years and I also have a cousin who was diagnosed at the age of 8 months.
I have never been overweight and have always had a healthy diet. But sooner or later your genes may catch up with you!
During a Yangtze River Cruise, our ship's doctor talked about traditional and western medicine and how they're applied in China. In China, many people with type-II diabetes can't afford Metformin or even older meds like Glimepiride. So their "prescription" is to walk 4-5 miles each day!
In the USA, our prescriptions should be a combination of pills plus exercise. Just as SD memory cards are now part of CPAP and BiPAP machines - and occasionally read by doctors to make sure patients are using them (Medicare won't pay if they're not!), perhaps overweight patients without physical handicaps should be given GPS athletic watches that track your activity and download your data into a computer to prove that they are doing, say, at least 3 hours of walking or the equivalent of bicycling per week.
Ever since MSN dropped out of this site, the headlines have become needlessly sensational and less and less related to to the actual content of the story. I failed to learn how I may have diabetes but not know it from this article.
My husband has been Type 1 since he was 15. I'm glad they can provide insulin for $6/mo in Kenya. I guess that's why we pay $619.00/mo for his insulin - and that is with insurance. Oh, and $350/mo for test strips, again, that is with insurance. He is on an insulin pump and it has made a world of difference in terms of his health, but every year like clockwork, the price for his insulin & test strips goes up and up. Instead of being rewarded for actually improving his health thru more stable blood sugar numbers and fewer trips to the Dr., we see the price go up even higher. He was diagnosed with MS as well (another auto-immune disease) but does not take the meds as they are over $2200.00/mo. He exercises, eats right, and is in over-all great health. We do not qualify for any type of assistance so we shoulder all the cost. We do the best we can to keep him healthy.
This article does not address anything but drug companies and their role. I have been on oral meds for years. They are really inexpensive as they are generic. I am only 5 or 10 pounds overweight, but have always exercised and eaten right. Endo says its genetic in my case. Its so different in each person and aging plays a big part. In my late 60's and was fine until about age 60. So being judgmental about people that have this condition is wrong and ignorant. Its not always about sugar and no exercise or bad diet.
Standard lab testing includes fasting blood sugar, and perhaps 2 hr glucose tolerance test to determine ones risk for T2DM. There is a another component called "insulin resistance" and can be detected with a blood test but not often performed. For those of you interested go to wikipedia and look up insulin resistance--you will find more information about this condition. This is a sine qua non of diabetes.
My son is Type 1 and my daughter has some of the genetic markers so only time will tell for her. My wife has Hashimoto's disease which is an auto-immune disease of the thyroid. We've switched to a diet which forbids any food that can trigger inflammation in your body. It's made a world of difference for my wife. Google "autoimmune protocol diet" or paleo diet but prepare yourself, you will need to change everything you eat if you go this route!
Type 2 diabetes can be "reversed" by switching to a plant-based diet and daily exercise. I did so by reading Dr. Neal Barnard's book on diabetes and following its advise on using the vegan diet and exercise to rid myself of diabetes. Barnard heads the Physician's Center for Responsible Medicine in Washington D.C. The issue is really to understand the root cause of diabetes and deal with the root cause. Taking pills and injecting insulin is merely just treating or manging the symptom of diabetes. This approaches fill the coffers of the medical and big pharma system but is a gross disservice to the individual patient. Sadly most medical professionals ignore the "root cause' approach. Dr. Neal Barnard has several very good videos on youtube. This man is for real and is a physician committed to the patients well being. Excellent.
Frank, changing diet and/or adding exercises DOES NOT reverse type II, it only facilitates the bodies response to either or both the pancreases' response to an over abundance of glucose in the blood or the body's lack of response, insulin resistance, to glucose. The liver and pancreases' dance to keep the blood glucose levels in balance is out of sync, way out of sync; diet and exercise, lifestyle change, just works with the body's new found issue.
Without diet and exercise you are a FINISHED! That is your only hope!
This article is the medical version of the ambulance chasing lawyer ads that are rampart on TV. Doctors looking for new patients. Except in this case, there's the subtle, underlying threat of personal death.
If you have it and don't even know it then is it really that big a deal?
I didn't know I was a diabetic. I just thought my body was backwards. I would feel bad and dizzy. so I found if I worked outside I felt fine afterwards. What actually was happening. My sugar level was very high, when I went out and worked, it brought my sugar level down. I was one of these males that didn't run to a doctor. The day I went in for a physical, I found out I was a diabetic ll. Now I take one pill a day and stay away from sugar over 5mg. It wasn't from over weight. I've always been 150-160 lbs since my high school day.
The only thing that sucks, is the sugar free stuff. It messes up my stomach. They really need to invent a better sugar free products for diabetic. When I started reading labels on things, I was shocked of how many products are loaded with sugar and carbonhydrates(which is sugar also).
I feel stem cell research might cure diabetics in the future. It would cost the drug companies billions and I'm sure they will fight it with their partners FDA.
Just the signs of the pangs of distress.
Stop with the blaming of being overweight. I know plenty of people who are way heavier than I am and will never get diabetes due to the fact that it is not in their family. Genetics is the main reason. My blood sugar levels were NEVER normal, even when I was a 19 yrs old and 115 lbs. I had low blood sugar, never was able to get to normal levels. It runs rampant on both sides of the family. I then had gestational diabetes in my early 30s. It went away temporarily, full blown diabetes at age 45. I have fat friends, 300 lbs plus that are older and do not have it. I knew something was wrong when I started being dizzy all the time, it was just horrible. I still get like that when my BS levels are high. It truly sucks being diabetic. I had my A1c down below 6 for a long time, it was really hard to do. Lots of walking and dieting, but who can live that perfect all the time? I worry about my daughter, even though she is thin. Being thin does not guarantee you will be diabetic free. My thin sister also had high blood sugars during her pregnancy.
LOL at the idiots who say people got diabetes for sitting. As a teacher, I NEVER ever sat for long periods of time. Give me a freaking break. I never had a job where I sat on my ass. So sick of the ignorant idiots on here. Type 2 is GENETIC otherwise all fatties would have it and they DO NOT