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Diabetes in Colo. is on the rise

Losing 7% of your body weight has significant effects

DENVER – The arrival of November means it is American Diabetes Month. It comes as the prevalence of the disease continues to rise across Colorado.

David Becker, a spokesman for the American Diabetes Association, says the latest numbers show 29 million Americans with diabetes, and the toll on health can be great, including kidney failure, blindness, amputations and more.

“There are a lot of co-morbid diseases as far as diabetes and cancer and heart disease,” he points out. “It all kind of is interrelating.”

Becker says about 95 percent of those people who have diabetes have Type 2, which a more healthful lifestyle and nutrition choices along with physical activity can help prevent.

According to the United Health Foundation’s Health Rankings report, diabetes in Colorado has increased from 6.7 percent to 7.4 percent, and it has been on the rise since the 1990s.

Becker notes that even some simple, small changes including more healthful eating and regular exercise can yield big results.

“If you lose just 7 percent of your body weight, you can decrease your chances of getting diabetes by 58 percent,” he said.

If the current trends don’t change, it’s estimated that by 2050, 30 percent of all Americans will have diabetes.



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