This name was created by Dr.Francine Kaufman, MD word-renewed endocrinologist for her book “Diabesity”. In the United States, an estimated 70% of adults more than 20 years old are overweight or obese. According to statistical forecasts, by 2030, 51% of the US population will have obesity. Obesity and Diabetes type 2 reached epidemic proportions. You can see the picture and the parallel increase on both diseases and how is reaching all states. Diabesity is a key risk factor to develop heart disease including heart attacks or strokes.
Diabesity can be defined as a metabolic dysfunction that ranges from mild blood sugar imbalance to full-blown type 2 diabetes. Diabesity includes:
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abdominal obesity (i.e. “spare tire” syndrome);
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dyslipidemia (low HDL, high LDL and high triglycerides);
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high blood pressure;
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high blood sugar (fasting above 100 mg/dL, Hb1Ac above 5.5);
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systemic inflammation; and,
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a tendency to form blood clots.
It affects more than one billion people worldwide, including 100 million Americans and 50% of Americans over 65. Recent statistics suggest that Diabesity may already be the leading cause of chronic disease and death in the world, and its impact is expected to rise dramatically in the next 25 years.
As Dr. Kaufman wrote on her book:
“We know that lifestyle changes can prevent diabetes. We’ve proven that if people eat right, lose weight and become physically active, they can halt the progression to full-blown diabetes.
I hope you will join me to set a new course, redefine and redirect progress, and stop the ‘diabesity’ epidemic.”
– From Diabesity; Francine Kaufman (2006)
So the question is, do we really need another diet? o do we really need to change our lifestyles and take responsibility for our own health?
I see people coming everyday to my office looking for a real change not just another diet but to turn their life around, tired of taking medications, tired of feeling sick and tired, tired that they clothes don’t fit anymore, tired of losing weight with a diet and then gaining everything back again. Together as a community we are able to turn this epidemic around, join me in this path of changing people’s lives and break free of disease.
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