Unless drastic steps are taken, type 2 diabetes could double by 2034.
An older population with increased weight and less exercise is the reason for this prediction.
Age is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes, plus it costs more to treat an older diabetic.
This is a very serious health and economic problem coming up.
We can't stop people from aging, but we can do something about the main reason for this epidemic, which is obesity.
About 65% of Americans are overweight.
It should be a top priority of everyone to address this problem.
We should use every means to change this outcome before it becomes a reality.
Maybe a big discount for health insurance to those that slim down would help.
To do nothing is going to cost billions upon billions of dollars over the next 2 decades.
$171 Billion a year by 2034 unless something is done.
Just losing 7% of a persons body weight and exercising 30 minutes a day for 5 days a week decreases a persons risk factors quite a bit.
It will be much cheaper for us in the long run to spend some money now and educate everyone from school children to elderly people on the health benefits of a healthy lifestyle.
It is not only diabetes that is caused by an unhealthy lifestyle.
Think of all the suffering that can be avoided from all the overweight related diseases.
The money savings would be staggering from a healthier nation.
People would be better able to work longer and help build the economy instead of draining it with ill health.