Diabetes Statistics Suggest Diabetes Triples by 2050

Diabetes statistics from The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published a study that predicts diabetes, especially Type 2 to double or triple by 2050. Medical professionals seem to be traveling the wrong path when discussing prevention or looking for a cure to decrease these diabetes statistics. The following was written to the Cincinnati Enquirer for publishing in the “Your Voice” column in October 2010.

A new study about diabetes statistics by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns diabetes may double or triple by 2050. A front page Forum article in the Cincinnati Enquirer on Sunday explains diabetes, diabetes statistics and offers usual advice of weight loss and medication as a solution. This perspective is why diabetes statistics will triple by 2050 as the cause is being ignored.

Type 2 Diabetes is also known as insulin resistance, meaning sugar (glucose) that is usually shuttled without problems by insulin to cells in the body are now resistant to accepting sugar because there’s so much of it. This causes the sugar to remain in the bloodstream (high blood sugar).

Sugar obviously enters the body through our diet. It is contained in all carbohydrates. Not just complex carbs like bread, potatoes, pasta, rice, but also lettuce, fruit, vegetables and even beans, as well as table sugar and other forms of sugar in candy, cookies, cakes, etc. Only animal products and fats do not contain carbs.

First logical effort for Type 2 diabetics would be to cut back on carbs and monitor their blood sugar. In almost all cases, blood sugar levels normalize. This tactic will also result in weight loss if you have weight to lose and is effective for diabetics without weight issues.

The unfortunately unrecognized coincidence mentioned in Sunday’s article is gastric bypass surgery and it proves the point. Used to help people eat less and lose weight, the surgery has been found to regulate blood sugar in many Type 2 diabetics, but medical professionals don’t connect the dots.

If someone eats too many carbs, gains weight (especially around the middle), develops diabetes and the surgery causes them to eat less in general and therefore less carbs, it does make sense that their blood sugar will normalize and they will also lose weight.

It was the carbs all along, but their doctor’s focus on sometimes ineffective advice about the end stage diabetic complication of heart disease and the decades old misguided suggestion that fat…and only fat…is the dietary cause of heart disease.

Much evidence suggests too many carbs along with bad fats are the cause. So, patients are told to eat a low fat diet making them eat more carbs, the cycle is perpetuated and medical professionals continue to claim that weight gain leading to diabetes leading to heart disease is not reversible.