Diabetics Have Much Higher Risk of Death

GNLD News

Diabetics Have Much Higher Risk of Death

A disturbing new study from Britain suggests that diabetics, regardless of age or income, are much more likely to die, when compared to those without diabetes in a similar demographic group.

After a six-year study, researchers discovered that those with diabetes had death rates more than two times the national average, and those that were diagnosed with diabetes by the age of 40, had their life expectancy lowered by an average of eight years. Adult onset diabetes (also known as non-insulin dependent diabetes) is at epidemic levels in developed nations and is much more prevalent than Type-I (insulin dependent) diabetes.

Most health experts agree that adult-onset diabetes is primarily brought on by obesity and can be controlled through diet. Obesity rates in developed nations have increased dramatically, and in the United States alone, nearly 60% of the adult population is overweight and/or obese.

Controlling diabetes and weight, currently, is considered a matter of controlling the glycemic response of foods. Foods that have a high glycemic index (foods that cause a rapid rise in blood sugar level) are thought to be the main contributors to weight gain and the development of diabetes. Medical experts agree that a diet emphasizing low glycemic index foods is an effective means to lose weight and control diabetes.

Source: British Medical Journal 2001; 322:1389-1393, 1375-1376.