Promoting Healthy Lifestyles

More than half of the estimated 16 million American diabetics are over age 60 and almost 20 percent of those age 65 or older have the disease. Diabetes is the sixth leading cause of death for people age 65 or older. These statistics illustrate that diabetes is a growing problem for older adults. Managing diabetes may also be a problem because the way diabetes is managed changes with age due to several factors. These factors include insulin production decreases; less tolerance of glucose; coexisting conditions, such as hypertension, that increase the challenge of treating the disease; complications that can develop more quickly and severely than in younger people; and limited physical, mental, or financial means that may interfere with proper treatment.

Treatment and prevention for older Americans and the young alike begins with healthy behaviors such as eating a balanced diet, not smoking, and exercising. For more information on the disease and treatment, visit the websites listed below.

General Resource Links:

• American Diabetes Association – Nonprofit health organization providing diabetes research, information, and advocacy.(Off Site)
  
  
• Diabetes – CDC – Promotes health and quality of life by preventing and controlling disease, injury, and disability. (Off Site)
  
  
• National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) – Conducts and supports research on diseases of internal medicine and related fields. (Off Site)
  
  
• National Diabetes Education Program – A federally-sponsored initiative that involves public and private partners improving the treatment and outcomes for people with diabetes, promoting early diagnosis, and preventing the onset of type 2 diabetes. (Off Site)
  

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