New cases of diabetes almost doubled over 10 years in the U.S., a trend worsened by high rates of obesity and inactivity in the South, a study of 33 states found.
The U.S. rate of diabetes increased to 9.1 cases for every 1,000 people in 2005-2007 from 4.8 in 1995-1997, according to the study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It's the first study to describe the geographic distribution of diabetes cases, the Atlanta-based agency said.
Diabetes is the seventh-leading cause of death in the U.S. and can lead to heart diseases, blindness, kidney failure and amputation, according to the National Institutes of Health, a federal agency. Studies have shown that obesity, idleness and too much sugary soda and fruit juice can increase risk of contracting the disease.
``We must step up efforts to prevent and control diabetes, particularly in the southern U.S.,'' said Karen Kirtland, the lead author of the report and a diabetes researcher at the CDC. ``Changes such as weight loss combined with moderate physical activity are important steps.''
States with the highest rates, adjusted for age, were mostly in the South: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas. Minnesota had the fewest cases, with five of every 1,000 people, and West Virginia had the most, with 13. The report didn't explore why the rate varied.
Sugar Buildup
Most people with diabetes have resistance to insulin, which the body uses to convert blood sugar to energy. In people with diabetes, sugar builds up over time, harming nerves and blood vessels. Two-thirds of diabetics eventually die from heart attack or stroke, according to NIH, in Bethesda, Maryland.
The increasing rate of diabetes in the report is consistent with other studies, the CDC said. The agency said in June that the number of Americans with diabetes jumped 15 percent in two years to 24 million in 2007. A quarter of people ages 60 and older had diabetes, the CDC said.
Diabetes treatments include insulin made by Eli Lilly & Co. and Novo Nordisk A/S, the world's biggest insulin maker. A generic pill metformin helps control the amount of glucose in the blood. Other treatments, such as Lilly's Byetta and Takeda Pharmaceutical Co.'s Actos, help control blood sugar
The U.S. rate of diabetes increased to 9.1 cases for every 1,000 people in 2005-2007 from 4.8 in 1995-1997, according to the study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It's the first study to describe the geographic distribution of diabetes cases, the Atlanta-based agency said.
Diabetes is the seventh-leading cause of death in the U.S. and can lead to heart diseases, blindness, kidney failure and amputation, according to the National Institutes of Health, a federal agency. Studies have shown that obesity, idleness and too much sugary soda and fruit juice can increase risk of contracting the disease.
``We must step up efforts to prevent and control diabetes, particularly in the southern U.S.,'' said Karen Kirtland, the lead author of the report and a diabetes researcher at the CDC. ``Changes such as weight loss combined with moderate physical activity are important steps.''
States with the highest rates, adjusted for age, were mostly in the South: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas. Minnesota had the fewest cases, with five of every 1,000 people, and West Virginia had the most, with 13. The report didn't explore why the rate varied.
Sugar Buildup
Most people with diabetes have resistance to insulin, which the body uses to convert blood sugar to energy. In people with diabetes, sugar builds up over time, harming nerves and blood vessels. Two-thirds of diabetics eventually die from heart attack or stroke, according to NIH, in Bethesda, Maryland.
The increasing rate of diabetes in the report is consistent with other studies, the CDC said. The agency said in June that the number of Americans with diabetes jumped 15 percent in two years to 24 million in 2007. A quarter of people ages 60 and older had diabetes, the CDC said.
Diabetes treatments include insulin made by Eli Lilly & Co. and Novo Nordisk A/S, the world's biggest insulin maker. A generic pill metformin helps control the amount of glucose in the blood. Other treatments, such as Lilly's Byetta and Takeda Pharmaceutical Co.'s Actos, help control blood sugar