Health

Diabetes rates have quadrupled since 1990 — these are the 4 reasons

Published

2 months ago

November 17, 2024

Diabetes rates have quadrupled since 1990 — these are the 4 reasons

The number of people living with diabetes worldwide has quadrupled in the past two decades, with 830 million people diagnosed as of 2022, as published this week in The Lancet.

That’s more than four times the number of people who had the disease in 1990, according to a Thursday announcement from the World Health Organization (WHO).

Among the people with diabetes, more than half are not taking medication to control it, the above source also noted.

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The prevalence of the disease has grown more quickly in low- and middle-income countries, where there is also the least access to treatment.

The number of people living with diabetes worldwide has quadrupled in the past two decades, with 830 million people diagnosed as of 2022. (iStock)

Diabetes directly led to 1.6 million deaths in 2021, with nearly half of them occurring before 70 years of age, WHO stated.

Another 530,000 related deaths were attributed to kidney disease.

Why the spike?

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) outlines the following four reasons for the increase in diabetes rates.

1. Diet

“Eating a diet high in fat and processed sugar can increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes,” the ADA wrote.

TO BE HEALTHIER, EAT LIKE YOUR GREAT-GRANDPARENTS, DOCTOR SUGGESTS

In particular, the organization recommends drinking water instead of sugar-sweetened beverages.

2. Lack of physical activity

“Being physically active less than three times a week can increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes,” the ADA states.

Experts recommend that American adults get 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week, along with at least two days of muscle-strengthening exercises.

3. Being overweight or obese

Although excess weight increases diabetes risk, the ADA notes that many diabetes patients are at a normal weight or only moderately overweight.

In 2022, one in every eight people in the world were living with obesity, according to the World Health Organization. (iStock)

In 2022, one in every eight people in the world were living with obesity, according to WHO.

4. Family history

“Having a parent or sibling with type 2 diabetes can increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes,” the ADA noted.

In a Thursday press release, WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus attributed the “alarming rise” in diabetes to the “increase in obesity (compounded by the impacts of the marketing of unhealthy food), a lack of physical activity and economic hardship.”

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Rising obesity rates and high-sugar diets go hand in hand, experts say.

“Poor nutrition and unhealthy lifestyles are at the heart of this spike, especially for vulnerable populations who often face challenges such as not being able to access and afford healthy food, an issue that has only further been exacerbated by inflation,” said Dr. Arti Masturzo, chief medical officer at CCS, an Ohio-based company focused on simplifying holistic chronic care management for patients.

doctor shows patient blood glucose monitor

“Having a parent or sibling with type 2 diabetes can increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes,” the ADA noted. (iStock)

“Healthy food is expensive, as are gym memberships, which means that not all people can afford them — or get to them if they live in rural areas,” she told Fox News Digital.

Jessica M. Kelly, a registered dietitian nutritionist with Nutrition That Heals in Pennsylvania, also pointed to convenience foods as a potential culprit.

“The number of adults living with diabetes has likely increased due to the ease and prevalence of ordering convenient foods from the comfort of home,” she told Fox News Digital.

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An increase in sedentary lifestyles is also a key contributing factor.

“We’ve become increasingly more sedentary as a society for a whole host of reasons, from increasing work hours to too much time spent using technology, like social media,” said Masturzo.

Diabetes led to 1.6 million deaths in 2021, with nearly half of them occurring before 70 years of age.

Around one-third of adults worldwide did not meet the recommended levels of physical activity in 2022, according to WHO.

Family history, age and ethnicity can also raise diabetes risk.

What needs to change?

“To bring the global diabetes epidemic under control, countries must urgently take action,” WHO’s Tedros wrote in the release.

“This starts with enacting policies that support healthy diets and physical activity and, most importantly, health systems that provide prevention, early detection and treatment.”

To reduce diabetes rates, Masturzo calls for regulators to “step up and ensure that they enforce healthy food options.”

The American Diabetes Association recommends drinking water instead of sugar-sweetened beverages. (iStock)

“Many other countries are far ahead of the U.S. when it comes to such regulations today, particularly in relation to food additives and food labels,” she emphasized.

“As a country, we must also identify new ways to encourage food manufacturers and fast-food restaurants to make healthier food more affordable for all.”

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Kelly recommends that diabetes patients work with a registered dietitian who can help them create “sustainable nutrition practices that support blood sugar control and management.”

“To bring the global diabetes epidemic under control, countries must urgently take action.”

Increased physical activity will also help to reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, she added.

In tandem with Thursday’s call to action, WHO also announced the launch of a “global monitoring framework on diabetes” to give countries guidance in measuring and evaluating diabetes prevention and care.

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“By tracking key indicators such as glycemic control, hypertension and access to essential medicines, countries can improve targeted interventions and policy initiatives,” WHO wrote.

Melissa Rudy is senior health editor and a member of the lifestyle team at Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to melissa.rudy@fox.com.

Health

Scientists May Be Able to Make Grapefruits Compatible With Medications They Currently Interfere With

Published

9 hours ago

January 10, 2025

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Scientists May Be Able to Make Grapefruits Compatible With Medications They Currently Interfere With

You may be among the millions of people who have seen a surprisingly specific warning like this on the labels of drugs you take:

Avoid eating grapefruit or drinking grapefruit juice while using this medication.

Such warnings are issued for dozens of substances, including docetaxel, a cancer drug; erythromycin, an antibiotic; and some statins, the cholesterol-lowering drugs prescribed to more than a third of American adults over 40.

The problem is a set of molecules, furanocoumarins. High levels of furanocoumarins interfere with human liver enzymes, among other processes. In their presence, medications can build up to unhealthy levels in the body. And grapefruits and some related citrus fruits are full of them.

But there is no such warning for other kinds of citrus, such as mandarins and other oranges. Citrus researchers at the Volcani Center in Israel reported Wednesday in the journal The New Phytologist that, by crossing mandarins and grapefruit, they’ve uncovered genes that produce furanocoumarins in some citrus fruits. It’s a finding that opens the possibility of creating grapefruit that doesn’t require a warning label.

Scientists had worked out the compounds’ structures and pieced together a basic flowchart of how they are made years ago, said Yoram Eyal, a professor at the Volcani Center. But the precise identities of enzymes catalyzing the process — the proteins that snip off a branch here, or add a piece there — remained mysterious. He and his colleagues knew that one way to identify them was to breed citrus high in furanocoumarins with those without. If the offspring of such a cross had varying levels of the substances, it should be possible, by digging into their genetics, to pinpoint the genes for the proteins.

“We were afraid to approach it, because it’s very time-consuming and it takes many years,” he said, noting how involved it can be to grow new trees from seeds and assess their genetics. “But finally, we decided we have to dive in.”

When they examined the offspring of a mandarin and a grapefruit, the researchers saw something remarkable. Fifty percent of the young plants had high levels of furanocourmains, and 50 percent had none. That particular signature meant something very specific, in terms of how the ability to make these substances is inherited.

“We saw there was only one gene that could have controlled it,” said Livnat Goldenberg, a Volcani Center researcher who is the lead author of the new study.

The researchers soon identified the gene controlling the production of furanocoumarins in leaves and fruit, which produces an enzyme called 2-oxoglutarate-dependent dioxygenase, or 2OGD for short. Mandarins, it turns out, have a mutated form of this gene that keeps the enzyme from functioning properly. This version cropped up in all the mandarin and orange varieties the researchers checked, explaining why they do not cause the same problems as grapefruit in people taking prescription medications. In these plants, furanocoumarin production is paused.

With gene editing technology, it should be possible to alter the gene in grapefruit as well, Dr. Eyal suggests. The team at the Volcani Center is now exploring that project.

Looking at how widespread this mutated version is in mandarins and some other citrus, the scientists speculate that some gene nearby on the genome must play an important role in a highly prized trait. A long-ago citrus breeder, selecting for some unknown quality, must have unwittingly spread this furanocoumarin-busting version of the gene to an ancestor of modern varieties of mandarins and oranges.

All these years later, that person’s work is coming to light, under the gaze of geneticists, who may, someday, put grapefruit back on the menu.

Health

‘Rabbit fever’ cases rising in US as CDC warns of zoonotic bacterial disease

Published

10 hours ago

January 10, 2025

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‘Rabbit fever’ cases rising in US as CDC warns of zoonotic bacterial disease

Cases of tularemia, also known as “rabbit fever,” are on the rise in the U.S., according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Caused by the bacteria Francisella tularensis, the disease commonly infects rabbits, hares and rodents. However, it is zoonotic, which means it can spread from animals to humans.

The bacteria is a “tier-1 select agent,” a classification given to agents and toxins that “present the greatest risk of deliberate misuse with significant potential for mass casualties or devastating effects to the economy, critical infrastructure or public confidence, and pose a severe threat to public health and safety,” per the CDC.

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Although tularemia is relatively rare, with only 2,462 diagnoses between 2011 and 2022, cases have risen 56% compared to the prior decade (2001 to 2010), as reported in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

Cases of tularemia, also known as “rabbit fever,” are on the rise in the U.S., according to a new report from the CDC. (iStock)

“Increased reporting of probable cases might be associated with an actual increase in human infection, improved tularemia detection or both,” the report states.

Daniel Ruderfer, M.D., chief of the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at Hackensack Meridian K. Hovnanian Children’s Hospital in New Jersey, believes that the increase in cases is mostly due to improved microbiology detection methods.

“The traditional method of confirming cases has historically been via growth in culture and antibody testing,” he told Fox News Digital.

“However, newer detection methods, such as PCR testing, are likely a major contributor to the increase in reported cases.”

“Newer detection methods, such as PCR testing, are likely a major contributor to the increase in reported cases.”

Humans can contract the disease through bites from deer flies or ticks, contact with infected animals, or exposure to contaminated water or aerosols, the same source stated.

Symptoms of tularemia can vary depending on the type of disease.

General symptoms include chills, headache, malaise, fatigue, anorexia, myalgia, chest discomfort, cough, severe sore throat, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain, according to Ruderfer.

Humans can contract the disease through bites from deer flies or ticks. (iStock)

“Depending on the location of the infected bit or scratch, people can develop localized lymphadenopathy (enlarged lymph nodes) and a cutaneous ulcer at the infection site,” he said.

“Other manifestations include conjuctivitis, pneumonia and potentially even bloodstream infections.”

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The death rate from the disease is typically low, less than 2%, but the CDC noted that it can be as high as 24% in rare, severe cases.

Tularemia can be treated with antibiotics, but no vaccine is currently available.

“The infection is absolutely dangerous and potentially life-threatening if not treated with appropriate antibiotics,” said Ruderfer.

Caused by the bacteria Francisella tularensis, the disease commonly infects rabbits, hares and rodents. However, it is zoonotic, which means it can spread from animals to humans. (iStock)

Those most at risk include children between 5 and 9 years of age, older men, American Indian and Alaskan Native people, and those living in central U.S. states, according to the report.

“The infection is absolutely dangerous and potentially life-threatening if not treated with appropriate antibiotics.”

The general population is not at an “obvious” risk for infection unless they come into physical contact with an infected rabbit, tick or deer fly, the expert noted.

Those who hunt or interact routinely with rabbits should see a doctor if they develop any concerning symptoms, he advised.

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“Many factors might contribute to the higher risk for tularemia in this population, including the concentration of Native American reservations in central states and sociocultural or occupational activities that might increase contact with infected wildlife or arthropods,” the CDC wrote.

Melissa Rudy is senior health editor and a member of the lifestyle team at Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to melissa.rudy@fox.com.

Health

Diabetes, heart disease cases skyrocket — and scientists pinpoint one key reason

Published

19 hours ago

January 10, 2025

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Diabetes, heart disease cases skyrocket — and scientists pinpoint one key reason

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Millions of new cases of diabetes and heart disease every year are caused by sugary drinks, according to newly published research.

Tufts University in Boston led the study, which found that about 2.2 million new diagnoses of type 2 diabetes and 1.2 million new cases of cardiovascular disease were attributed to sugar-sweetened sodas and juices each year, according to a press release.

The findings were published in the journal Nature Medicine this week.

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The highest rates were found in Colombia, where 48% of new diabetes cases were linked to sugary drinks, and in Mexico, where nearly a third of cases were attributed to them.

Meanwhile, in Latin America, more than 24% of new diabetes cases were linked to sugary beverages, and 21% in sub-Saharan Africa, the study found.

About 2.2 million new cases of type 2 diabetes and 1.2 million new cases of cardiovascular disease occur each year worldwide due to consuming sugar-sweetened soda and juices, according to the findings of a new study. (iStock)

In South Africa, 27.6% of new diabetes cases and 14.6% of cardiovascular disease cases were attributed to sugary drinks.

Sugary drinks are rapidly digested, causing a spike in blood sugar levels with little nutritional value.

Sugary drinks cause blood sugar to spike because they are “rapidly digested,” the research team said.

When consumed on a long-term basis, these types of beverages, in addition to increasing the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease, can also lead to weight gain and insulin resistance, the researchers added.

Caffeinated drinks like soda, iced tea, coffee and juice

Men are more likely than women to suffer the consequences of sugary drink consumption, as are younger adults compared to their older counterparts, a new study asserts. (iStock)

Professor Dariush Mozaffarian, the study’s senior author, said in a university press release, “Sugar-sweetened beverages are heavily marketed and sold in low- and middle-income nations.”

He added, “Not only are these communities consuming harmful products, but they are also often less well-equipped to deal with the long-term health consequences.”

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Certain groups are more likely to experience negative health effects from sugary drinks, including men and younger adults, the researchers noted, as news agency SWNS also noted.

New Jersey-based registered dietitian Erin Palinski-Wade, who was not involved in the research, said the findings were to be expected, as diets rich in added sugars are more likely to increase the risk of chronic health conditions, including type 2 diabetes.

When consumed on a long-term basis, these types of beverages can also lead to weight gain and insulin resistance, experts say. (iStock)

“Sugar-sweetened beverages are a major cause of added sugar in the diet and easy to overconsume, as they provide little fullness,” she told Fox News Digital.

“The high calorie content and lack of satisfaction due to little protein, fat or fiber in these drinks can lead to excess calorie consumption, which can lead to weight gain — especially gains in visceral fat (belly fat), which has been found to increase the risk of type 2 diabetes,” she went on.

“Sugar-sweetened beverages are easy to overconsume, as they provide little fullness.”

Palinski-Wade pointed out that there were some limitations to the new research.

“This was an observational study, not a causation study, and shows only an association between diets containing sugar-sweetened beverages and diabetes,” she noted.

“It does not prove that those drinks alone trigger an onset of type 2 diabetes.”

What needs to change?

To remedy the issue, the study authors called for a “multi-pronged approach,” including public health campaigns, regulations on advertising and taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages, the release stated.

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“We need urgent, evidence-based interventions to curb consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages globally, before even more lives are shortened by their effects on diabetes and heart disease,” first author Laura Lara-Castor, now at the University of Washington, said in the release.

Approximately 65% of adults in the U.S. consume sugar-sweetened beverages daily. (iStock)

Mexico implemented a sugary drinks tax in 2014, which has shown to be effective in reducing consumption, the researchers stated.

“Much more needs to be done, especially in countries in Latin America and Africa, where consumption is high and the health consequences severe,” wrote Mozaffarian.

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“As a species, we need to address sugar-sweetened beverage consumption.”

Many different factors are involved in insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes, Palinski-Wade noted.