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Life Expectancy Increases
Diabetes Epidemic Worsens

October 6, 2003

Diabetes • Studies Find Link Between Diabetes and Alzheimer's • Avandia Maker Failed To Report Required Data • Prediabetes: What You Should Know • Study: Large-Breasted Women More Diabetes-Prone • U.S. Diet Dishes Up Diabetes • Weight-Loss Surgery Seen Beneficial to Diabetics • Lack of Deep Sleep May Increase Diabetes Risk • Study: Avandia May Do More Harm than Good • FDA Orders New Warning For Avandia • U.S. Kidney Disease on the Rise • Fish Oil May Fight Diabetes • Avandia vs. Actos: A Doctor's Advice • Avandia Linked to 42% Greater Risk of Heart Attack • Soft Drink Sweetener Linked to Diabetes in Kids • Diabetes Drugs to Get 'Black Box' Warnings • FDA Rejects Advice to Pull Avandia From Market • FDA Advised to Pull Avandia From Market • Avandia, Other Diabetes Drugs Increase Risk of Heart Failure • Dairy Products May Protect Against Metabolic Syndrome • Portion-Control Dishes May Help Obese Diabetics • FDA Issues Safety Alert on Diabetes Drug Avandia • Stem Cell Treatment May "Cure" Diabetes • Diabetes Risk May Be In The Genes • Holiday Gluttony Can Spell Disaster for Undiagnosed Diabetics • Malaria Drug May Fight Common Cause of Diabetes, Heart Disease • Feds Attack Fake Diabetes Cures • FDA Approves New Treatment for Diabetes • Feds Warn Of Counterfeit Diabetes Tests • Study: Weightlifting Helps Overweight Teens Avoid Diabetes • Researchers Say They Can Reverse Type 1 Diabetes • Study: Obesity Major Factor in Diabetes Epidemic • Too Much, Too Little Sleep Linked To Diabetes In Men • Procedure Cures Some Diabetic Mice • Ethnicity Skews Diabetes' Effect on Heart • Pig Cells May Be Useful in Diabetes Treatment • Protein Triggers Fat-Saturated Cell Death • FDA Approves Diabetes Inhaler Exubera • FDA Panel Greenlights Diabetes Inhaler • Breastfeeding May Decrease Diabetes Risk • Low-Fat Dairy Products May Lower Diabetes Risk in Men • Scientists Find Diabetes "Switch" • New Diabetes Treatment Approved • Knowledge of Diabetes Doesn't Always Affect Outcomes • Moderate Exercise Helpful to Diabetes-Prone Women • Life Expectancy Increases; Diabetes Epidemic Worsens

Americans are living longer and spending more on health care than ever before, the latest government figures show. The report also finds evidence that the diabetes epidemic is getting worse; between 1997 and 2002, the percent of Americans diagnosed with diabetes increased by 27 percent.

Overall U.S. life expectancy in 2001 was 77.2 years, compared with 47.3 in 1900. But with longer life comes an increase in chronic illness and massive increases in spending on health care.

While life expectancy has risen steadily over the last century, so has Americans' average weight and the incidence of diabetes. Another recent study shows that about 12 million adults have been diagnosed with diabetes and an additional 5 million adults have the condition but don’t know it.

Diabetes increases an individual's risk of heart disease, kidney failure, blindness, infection and amputation. Obesity is one of the biggest contributing factors.

“While this report shows we’re continuing to make progress in improving Americans’ health, we know that we can do much more to reduce the impact of diabetes and other chronic, preventable diseases,” HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson said. “There are simple steps we can all take, such as eating wisely and staying active, that can reduce the toll that diabetes, obesity, and heart disease take on our lives.”

In 2001, U.S. health care spending was $1.4 trillion, up 8.7 percent from 2000.

The report was prepared by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) in HHS’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and is the 27th annual report to the President and Congress, as required by The Public Health Service Act. The complete text is available online.

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