HHS HealthBeat (November 19, 2008)

Diabetes, Southern style

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I’m Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat.

The number of people being diagnosed with diabetes has increased dramatically across the United States.

Southern states and Puerto Rico are leading the pack with increased new diagnosis.

At the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, researcher Karen Kirtland:

 “Risk factors such as physical inactivity and obesity that are associated with type 2 diabetes are higher in the South when compared to other regions in the U.S. It is important to remember that these risk factors are important throughout the United States. In our study, diabetes increased across all regions and in most of the 33 states we examined.’’ (19 seconds)

Diabetes can be prevented or delayed by moderate weight loss and increased physical activity.

Kirtland also says 24 million people have diabetes and about 25 percent don’t know they do. 

 The study was in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

Learn more at hhs.gov.

HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I’m Ira Dreyfuss.

Last revised: November, 19 2008