Obesity and type 2 diabetes in young people: A matter of national concern
Type 2 diabetes (T2D) was once so rare in children that it was often called adult-onset diabetes to distinguish it from type 1 diabetes (juvenile diabetes). A growing body of evidence has shown, however, that the prevalence of T2D is increasing among the nation’s young people and that a major contributor to this increase is the epidemic of obesity in the same population. A recent white paper, “Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes as Documented in Private Claims Data: Spotlight on This Growing Issue Among the Nation’s Youth,” examines these trends. (read more)
The lifestyle changes that can cut type 2 diabetes risk
Type 2 diabetes is often viewed as a dietary illness. That is partially true as diet is a big contributor. However, other lifestyle factors such as insufficient sleep, long-term stress, and inappropriate physical activity all contribute, as well. For many of my patients, addressing these factors can be as important as their food choices. (read more)
Are wearable devices the future of healthcare?
How to rein in the escalating cost of health care is generating fierce debate across the U.S. Many politicians and health-care professionals are focusing on big targets like legislation and the pharmaceutical industry. But the savings we’re all looking for may well come from far smaller sources, like the personal health devices that many Americans have so readily adopted.
About half of all Americans have one or more chronic conditions — heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease, arthritis, and asthma, to name a few. Many chronic conditions arise from unhealthy lifestyles that include the usual suspects: poor diet, little or no exercise, and stress. These conditions account for the majority of deaths in the United States, and up to 86 percent of health-care expenditures. (read more)
