PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Obesity increases the risk of Type 2 diabetes.
At one time, this form of diabetes was mostly limited to individuals over the age of 50. Today, the number of Americans developing diabetes in their 20s or 30s has grown dramatically.
A new study has found that a decade of Type 2 diabetes shortens a person's lifespan by 3.5 years. Quick math shows a 30-year-old might lose 14 years of the average lifespan and many more years of healthy active living.
This is devastating, but people can make dramatic changes to their diet, exercise and lifestyle routines. Medical treatment to control blood sugar can make a big difference.
In other words, the statistics are certainly frightening, but you can make changes to avoid being a statistic.
Get more medical reports from Dr. Brian McDonough.
KYW Newsradio's Medical Reports are sponsored by Independence Blue Cross.
