Events Calendar
In This Section
Most Read Stories
Blogs:
Pets:
Summit teams up with Rescue Waggin' to save dogs
The Heldenfiles:
Songs for an American Day
Patrick McManamon:
Touching on the Browns, Cavs
Akron Zips:
Opponent outlook: Northern Illinois
Browns Bulletin:
Single-game ticket sales begin July 11
Tribe Matters:
Wedge assured of job through season
Cleveland Browns:
Stallworth test showed marijuana
Kent State Sports:
Men's Basketball Scheduling update
Cleveland Cavaliers:
Updated: Free Agency: Another Gone - Apparently
All Da King's Men:
The Obligatory Palin Post
Blog of Mass Destruction:
Wow….Sarah Palin Resigns Governorship
Akron Law Café:
Abraham Lincoln and the Fourth of July
Varsity Letters:
Highland senior receives honor
See Jane Style:
Picnic Wear
Car Chase:
Where do We Go from Here?
Let's Talk Real Estate:
Happy 4th of July!
Ohio Travels with Betty:
Tom asks where to stay while visiting the football Hall of Fame.
Sound Check:
Rundgren fans rejoice!: Second night of AWATS at The Civic added
HRLite House:
Morscruethal Behaviors or Just Lip Service?
Akron Gamer:
Hot link: Best of Nintendo at E3
The key to prevention is a smart lifestyle
Published on Monday, Dec 17, 2007
Diabetes is one of those diseases closely associated with obesity. It is no accident the rate of diabetes (and other chronic ailments such as hypertension and heart disease) tracks with the obesity crisis. More than 620,000 Ohioans have a diabetes diagnosis. Since 2000, the incidence of the disease has shot up 29.5 percent in Summit County and an alarming 58.6 percent in Mahoning County.
As the fifth-leading cause of death in the state, diabetes exacts a heavy toll on health and finances, both personal and public. Roughly 8 percent ($612 million) of the state's total Medicaid spending in 2000 went to patients with diabetes and related complications, a group accounting for less than 3 percent of the Medicaid population, according to an Ohio Department of Health report.
Because of the combination of poor eating habits, lack of exercise and better health care, more Americans are living with (and suffering) one or more chronic diseases. Treating these ailments is not inexpensive. The Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease, a national health-care advocacy group that recently launched an Ohio chapter, reports that 75 percent of the $2 trillion spent on health care in America in 2005 went toward treating chronic disease.
That is a compelling argument for a comprehensive strategy to prevent or delay the onset of disease. The Catalyst to Better Diabetes Care Act, legislation proposed last week by Sen. Sherrod Brown, is a promising initiative, with its call for a national plan to improve screening, outreach programs, diabetes education and data collection. In many cases, chronic disease is preventable — if we act smartly.
Get the full article here.
Comments
Click here to post your comments
