The number of people diagnosed with diabetes in the United States has risen 5 percent every year since the 1990s, and continues to rise, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Diabetes occurrence has been directly linked to obesity and is becoming a national epidemic. The ratio of overweight or obese individuals has steadily increased, often affecting work performance, health and ability to work. According to a University of Michigan poll, as well as a poll conducted by the C.S. Mott Children's Hospital, obesity is one of the top childhood health concerns, stating that about 15 percent of children today are overweight.
Cost
According to statistics culled from Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), costs of treating obesity and obesity-related issues reaches nearly $95 billion a year, placing a severe strain on resources available.
According to the HHS Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the cost of treating diabetes averages about $1,714 a year for the nearly 14 million adults currently diagnosed with the condition, while hospitals spend over $50 billion a year on hospitalization costs.
Cancer
The number of individuals diagnosed with a variety of cancers has also risen in direct relation to obesity. The National Cancer Institute released a Fact Sheet that states that weight gain increases the risk of cancers of the kidneys, colon and breast. More young children are being diagnosed with breast cancer, whose risk increases with obesity, says Dr. Marisa Weiss, founder of Breastcancer.org.
The "Journal of the American Medical Association" has linked diabetes and cancer risk, with researchers stating that those diagnosed with diabetes had an approximately 1.4 times increased risk of dying from cancer.
Health Services
Medical conditions such as high blood pressure, coronary artery disease and diabetes, as well as joint injuries, respiratory difficulties and endocrine-based illnesses have steadily increased in those who are considered overweight or obese.
Complications of diabetes include but are not limited to nerve damage, blindness, kidney damage and ulcers, some of which result in amputation, requiring hospitalization, surgery, post-op care and nursing services and rehabilitation therapies that add costs and additional strain to health care facilities and staff.
Health Services in the United States are struggling with increased patient loads and the need to provide patients with medication and medical equipment to deal with such illnesses.
