Nearly half of adults in California either have prediabetes or undiagnosed diabetes, a new study has found.

Researchers from the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) also report that one out of three young adults are on the same boat.

The study is the first to provide a detailed breakdown of the prediabetes situation in California. This work also presents alarming information about the possible status of diabetes in the coming years.

Alarming Numbers That Signal Worsening Situation

Estimates suggest that about 13 million or 46 percent of Californian adults have prediabetes or undiagnosed diabetes. This is in addition to the other 2.5 million or 9 percent of adults that have already been diagnosed with the disorder.

Combining these numbers results in a whopping 15.5 million or 55 percent of California's entire population.

Diabetes is said to be more prevalent among the elderly, so the 33 percent of prediabetic young adults aged between 18 to 39 years old determined in the study is a cause of concern.

"This is the clearest indication to date that the diabetes epidemic is out of control and getting worse," says California Center for Public Health Advocacy executive director Harold Goldstein.

Looking At Counties, Age And Ethnicity

The study looked into the prediabetes situation of California, with respect to different factors such as country, age and ethnicity.

The authors discovered significant differences of prediabetes rates across counties. The rates for young adults exhibit numbers from as low as 26 percent in Lake County or 28 percent in San Francisco County to as high as 40 percent in Imperial and Kings counties.

The disparities are more distinct among different races and ethnicities. Prediabetes rates among young adult Pacific Islanders, African Americans, American Indians, multiracial Californians, Latin Americans and Asian Americans range from 31 percent to 43 percent. Such is statistically higher than the 29 percent rate of white young adults. These findings signify that officials need to focus its preventive efforts more in these populations.

Ultimately, there is no single county or region that is free of prediabetes or diabetes epidemics.

Creating A World That Leads To Diabetes

Goldstein says humans have created a world that leads to diabetes, citing issues of limited availability of healthy food in low-income families, the rise of soda and junk food advertisements and the lack of safe play places in urban communities.

He suggests the state to come up with a big campaign to curb the type 2 diabetes epidemic to keep health insurance costs at bay, prevent health care providers from being overwhelmed and stop patients from suffering diabetes complications such as limb amputation, kidney failure and blindness.

Lack Of Access To Health Services

One of the major problems contributing to the issue is that not many people have themselves tested for prediabetes. This is because testing is usually not covered by insurance, especially among those aged 45 years old and below.

Preventive programs to help people manage their weight and live healthier lifestyles are also available yet not many people avail it because of insurance non-coverage.

"There are significant barriers not only to people knowing their status, but getting effective help," says study author Dr. Susan Babey. For her, simple blood tests for determining diabetes, as well as preventive programs, should be covered by all insurance companies.

The Growing And Very Costly Disease That Is Diabetes

Diabetes is increasingly becoming more common in the United States. In fact, the rates of the disorder have tripled over the last three decades. In California alone, diabetes rates have increased by 35 percent since 2001.

Health care costs involved in diabetes management is twice the amount for other people without the disease. Those who receive a diagnosis of diabetes by the age of 40 is said to spend about $124,600 more than a person without diabetes throughout a lifetime.

About three-quarters of the said costs are paid through Medi-Cal and Medicare. This includes $254 million in yearly hospital expenses that are shouldered by Medi-Cal alone.

Photo: Coralie Ferreira | Flickr

TAG sugar, Diabetes, Prediabetes, California

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