100 million Americans could be diabetic by 2050

NUMBER OF AMERICANS WITH DIABETES 
PROJECTED TO DOUBLE OR TRIPLE BY 2050
 
As many as 1 in 3 U.S. adults could have diabetes by 2050 if current trends continue, according to a new analysis from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Proper diet and physical activity can reduce the risk of diabetes and help to control the condition in people with diabetes.

WHAT IS DIABETES?
Diabetes is a disease in which the body has trouble processing sugar. In the classic form of diabetes, traditionally diagnosed in children or young adults, the body does not produce enough of a hormone called insulin to help sugar get into cells. That's Type 1 diabetes.

Another form of diabetes, Type 2, now accounts for about 95 percent of cases. In that kind, the body's cells resist insulin's attempts to transport sugar. Type 2 is most common in people who are overweight and obese, in people 60 and older, and in African-Americans and other minority groups.

One in 10 U.S. adults has diabetes now.

THE HEALTH COSTS OF DIABETES
Diabetes was the nation's seventh leading cause of death in 2007, is the leading cause of new cases of blindness among adults under age 75, kidney failure, and non-accident/injury leg and foot amputations among adults.

Diabetes is a large contributor to heart attacks and strokes. "It's also now linked to a form of dementia, some forms of cancer and some forms of lung disease. Diabetes impacts so many systems in the body," said Ann Albright, PhD, RD, director of CDC's Division of Diabetes Translation.

The report estimates that the number of Americans with diabetes will range from 1 in 3 to 1 in 5 by 2050. That range reflects differing assumptions about how many people will develop diabetes, and how long they will live after developing the disease. The growth in U.S. diabetes cases has been closely tied to escalating obesity rates. Recent CDC data suggests obesity rates may have recently leveled off. But the new estimates should hold up even if obesity rates remain static, CDC officials said.

"These are alarming numbers that show how critical it is to change the course of type 2 diabetes," said Albright. "Successful programs to improve lifestyle choices on healthy eating and physical activity must be made more widely available, because the stakes are too high and the personal toll too devastating to fail."

THE FINANCIAL COST OF DIABETES
A price will be paid if the projections go unheeded, experts say. People with diagnosed diabetes have medical costs that are more than twice that of those without the disease. The total costs of diabetes are an estimated $174 billion annually, including $116 billion in direct medical costs.

Previous research has suggested that the financial burden may easily double in the next 20 years, says David Kendall, chief scientific and medical officer of the American Diabetes Association.

"The financial burden is potentially a very, very troublesome one," Kendall says.

WHAT CAN BE DONE?
CDC and its partners are working on a variety of initiatives to prevent type 2 diabetes and to reduce its complications. CDC's National Diabetes Prevention Program, which launched in April, is designed to bring evidence-based programs for preventing type 2 diabetes to communities. The program supports establishing a network of lifestyle intervention programs for overweight or obese people at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes. These interventions emphasize dietary changes, coping skills and group support to help participants lose 5 to 7 percent of their body weight and get at least 150 minutes per week of moderate physical activity.

The Diabetes Prevention Program clinical trial, led by the National Institutes of Health, has shown that those measures can reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 58 percent in people at higher risk of the disease.

Programs and policies to prevent obesity and diabetes need to be put in place at every level, says Duke University Medical Center endocrinologist Susan Spratt, who says schools are a good place to start. Healthful food options in schools and daily physical education classes should be a priority, she says.

"Vending machines should not sell sugar soda or candy bars. School fundraisers should not revolve around unhealthy food," says Spratt, who adds that cities need to be pedestrian-friendly, bike-friendly and safe.

I'll just exercise to lose weight...

ummmm... no, I'm sorry, but I don't think you will. Before you react, tell me: how many people do you know who:

1. went on a weight loss program, and
2. reached their goal or target weight, and
3. did so primarily or exclusively through exercise?

Exercise is vitally important, for numerous reasons. Of course! :) Walk, dance, go for a bike ride, mow the lawn, play with the kids, swim, clean the garage, make love (not in that order!) Just get moving! It's good for you, and the right exercise can be a lot of fun! But exercising your way skinny? It won't happen. Not for normal folks who have a life outside the gym or exercise track.

Weight loss is "simple" science: consume less energy (fewer calories) than you burn each day, and you will lose weight. We all use energy / burn calories even while sleeping. Breathing, pumping blood, digesting food, rolling over -- all burn energy. Increase your energy usage (burn more calories) without increasing your energy intake (consuming additional calories), and you will lose weight.

If exercise = increasing your energy usage = burning more calories, why can't you exercise your way skinny?

A physician recently told me that the average person would need to exercise vigorously for at least 90 minutes per day in order to experience a significant weight loss. Do you have that much time to dedicate to exercise? Every day?

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), a "180-pound man riding 10 miles will burn 400 calories, and a 130-pound woman riding the same distance will burn 300 calories." That would be a very good thing, and most of us could probably benefit by increasing the amount we exercise.

The CDC also informs us "To lose weight, you must use up more calories than you take in. Since one pound equals 3,500 calories, you need to reduce your caloric intake by 500—1000 calories per day to lose about 1 to 2 pounds per week."

Our 10 mile a day bike riders are only burning 300-400 calories per day, not the 500+ required to burn a pound or more per week. Here's the math: a 180 pound man burns 400 calories per day / 2,800 calories per week if he bikes 10 miles every day. If he doesn't also reduce his energy intake by consuming fewer calories, he's still not burning enough calories/week to stop gaining weight.

"I'll just exercise to lose weight"? Sorry, but I don't think you will.

88 lb lost—4 lb past your goal!

In my last blog post two weeks ago, I wrote about reaching my goal weight of 142 pounds. As of this morning, I'm at 138—88 pounds lighter than when I started!

To put that in perspective: see this woman's big jugs? Full of water, they would weigh about 40 pounds. Each. Think she could stand there holding them like that if they were full?

Imagine anyone (even a body builder) trying to carry them both around, all day, every day. For years.

If full, those two jugs—all 80+ pounds—represent slightly less than the weight I no longer carry around all day.

Is it any wonder that being over weight can lead to health problems like swollen feet and ankles? Back aches? Fatigue? Shortness of breath? Inability to climb stairs? A general condition of only feeling so-so (and not great) a lot of the time? Some obese people even have problems getting out of a chair. Remember watching—or being—a woman about eight months pregnant? And most woman don't gain 80-90 pounds during their pregnancy...

Is it any wonder that once they've lost some weight, most people report having much more energy and generally feeling much better? We're not expending all that energy lugging around all that extra weight.

First major goal

Yesterday, eight months since I began this journey, the scale said 142. i.e.: the "target weight" I set back in January. 84 pounds less than I weighed earlier this year. It's odd... working so long to reach this point, I'm not sure exactly how I feel about actually getting here...

As my post about the last ten pounds points out, for weeks now my progress has been painfully slow. Still progressing, albeit very slowly.

Today the scale's back up 1/2 pound. But tomorrow or the next day, I'm sure it will move back down again. Within a week or so, I'll end this weight loss phase and begin my transition to a life of healthy eating. And that's very exciting to me!

Once I decided it was time to take charge of my own health, I researched a number of well known weight loss programs. I eventually settled on a comprehensive program which

1. Begins with weight loss, using medically formulated, low-calorie portion-controlled meal replacements;
2. Teaches key Habits of Health--including how to eat healthy for life;
3. Propels you on the path to permanent optimal health for life!

I've not been hungry during the weight loss phase. Mainly because I eat every 2-3 hours! Six small meals each day.

Although I haven't missed them, certain foods have been "off limits" during this first phase. I'm on what's considered a "medium" carb nutrition program. Not low carb, but definitely fewer carbs per day than most people normally eat. Accomplishing that requires restricting your intake of certain higher carb veggies, fruit, grains and dairy. All things I love!

For months, I've been intent upon accomplishing my weight loss goal. Knew these food restrictions aren't permanent,  I never really missed any of those foods. This close to beginning the transition to "regular" healthful eating for life, I'm starting to think about things like corn. Brown rice. Fruit yogurt. And really looking forward to eating them all again!

So let's get together. I'll show you what I've been learning, and cook you a healthy, tasty meal!

John

Those last 10 pounds

Wow - the end of a large weight loss seems to be MUCH tougher than the beginning! Here's my original weight loss tracker, from the start of my journey. And below is the short term one for the final weight loss. Up and down, up and down. sheesh!

I have no explanation for the big drop and increase around August 15... 

Handling the heat - weight loss benefit #6

I live in Baltimore, MD. Our typical summer weather reports are often "the three Hs: Hazy, hot and humid." In the last six weeks, we've had three days of 100+ temps, and 26 in the 90s!

When I was carrying around 70+ extra pounds, summer's heat was often unbearable. Without all that extra insulation, I am actually ENJOYING the summer weather.

Enjoying these temperatures may be extreme for some folks. But at least being able to tolerate months of very warm weather is a huge personal benefit of my weight loss.

My weight loss "ticker"

I would be done with the weight loss phase and onto transition and life long maintenance if I hadn't cheated while on a couple vacations...