Posted on Dec 2, 2015
Studies show significant decrease in diabetes and high cholesterol rates. What are you doing to get/maintain your "good numbers"?
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Since my retirement, I've stopped smoking, significantly reduced alcohol consumption (0 since the beginning of this year), began eating healthy again, and got back into regular exercise (To include addressing other veteran related issues), which has improved my numbers and health all around! What are you doing to get/maintain your "good numbers"?
New statistics show the number of Americans being newly diagnosed with diabetes is falling, reversing a trend that makes diabetes a major killer.
And a second study shows fewer Americans have high cholesterol. Experts say it may be that people are starting to slowly take health warnings seriously.
In 2009, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recorded 1.7 million new cases of diabetes. By last year, it dropped to 1.4 million.
"We are looking at some progress we have been making in America," said Dr. Gerald Fletcher of the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, who is a spokesman for the American Heart Association.
Still, the total number of people with diabetes is going up. CDC says 22 million Americans had been diagnosed with diabetes in 2014, about the same as in 2013 and up from 20.7 million in 2011 and 10 million in 1997.
Diabetes directly kills more than 71,000 people a year, according to the American Diabetes Association.
Most cases are type-2 diabetes, which is linked to poor diet and a lack of exercise.
"Of all the fat countries we always been the fattest top three or four in the world," Fletcher said. More than two-thirds of Americans are either overweight or obese, and extra pounds cause cholesterol, blood sugar and blood pressure to rise.
A second report shows levels of unhealthy cholesterol are also starting to fall.
"The prevalence of high total cholesterol has declined," Margaret Carroll, an epidemiologist at the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics who led the cholesterol study, told NBC News.
Her team found that 12 percent of U.S. adults had high cholesterol levels - defined as a reading of 240 - in 2011 to 2014. That's down from 13.4 percent in 2009-2010. "It's a good sign," Carroll said.
While the widespread use of cholesterol-lowering drugs such as statins is certainly a factor, it cannot explain everything, Carroll said. Statins, which include Lipitor, Mevacor, Crestor and Zocor, are extremely popular. They're prescribed to about 15 percent of U.S. adults.
But, Carroll said, "We found a decline in mean (average) cholesterol even among people not on cholesterol-lowering medications," she said.
"Drugs are wonderful," Fletcher said. "But at the same time, people are beginning to do more regular exercise."
Fletcher, who says he works out on a stationary bicycle, treadmill and elliptical machine, said doctors and nurses alike are beginning to urge patients to exercise and it pays off quickly.
"We are getting more user-friendly for exercise in many parts of the country." Sidewalks, trails for runners, bikers and walkers and even neighborhood gyms can all help.
Smoking is also linked with high cholesterol, Carroll noted.
"I believe smoking has decreased. That could be one thing," she said.
The CDC says the number of smokers has plummeted by nearly 20 percent in the past 10 years to less than 17 percent of the population.
Carroll notes that food companies have moved to get rid of trans-fats in processed foods. These artificially hardened fats have been shown to worsen cholesterol levels even more than naturally saturated fats such as butter.
The Food and Drug Administration is moving to limit their use but groups such as the American Heart Association have been warning people about them for years.
The cholesterol patterns were not all good. Carroll's team also found that fewer people had high enough levels of so called good cholesterol - the high density lipoprotein or HDL cholesterol. They found 18.5 percent of adults had HDL levels under 40, compared to 21 percent in 2009-2010. It's not clear why.
http://www.nbcnews.com/health/heart-health/startling-studies-show-diabetes-high-cholesterol-rates-falling-n472796
New statistics show the number of Americans being newly diagnosed with diabetes is falling, reversing a trend that makes diabetes a major killer.
And a second study shows fewer Americans have high cholesterol. Experts say it may be that people are starting to slowly take health warnings seriously.
In 2009, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recorded 1.7 million new cases of diabetes. By last year, it dropped to 1.4 million.
"We are looking at some progress we have been making in America," said Dr. Gerald Fletcher of the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, who is a spokesman for the American Heart Association.
Still, the total number of people with diabetes is going up. CDC says 22 million Americans had been diagnosed with diabetes in 2014, about the same as in 2013 and up from 20.7 million in 2011 and 10 million in 1997.
Diabetes directly kills more than 71,000 people a year, according to the American Diabetes Association.
Most cases are type-2 diabetes, which is linked to poor diet and a lack of exercise.
"Of all the fat countries we always been the fattest top three or four in the world," Fletcher said. More than two-thirds of Americans are either overweight or obese, and extra pounds cause cholesterol, blood sugar and blood pressure to rise.
A second report shows levels of unhealthy cholesterol are also starting to fall.
"The prevalence of high total cholesterol has declined," Margaret Carroll, an epidemiologist at the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics who led the cholesterol study, told NBC News.
Her team found that 12 percent of U.S. adults had high cholesterol levels - defined as a reading of 240 - in 2011 to 2014. That's down from 13.4 percent in 2009-2010. "It's a good sign," Carroll said.
While the widespread use of cholesterol-lowering drugs such as statins is certainly a factor, it cannot explain everything, Carroll said. Statins, which include Lipitor, Mevacor, Crestor and Zocor, are extremely popular. They're prescribed to about 15 percent of U.S. adults.
But, Carroll said, "We found a decline in mean (average) cholesterol even among people not on cholesterol-lowering medications," she said.
"Drugs are wonderful," Fletcher said. "But at the same time, people are beginning to do more regular exercise."
Fletcher, who says he works out on a stationary bicycle, treadmill and elliptical machine, said doctors and nurses alike are beginning to urge patients to exercise and it pays off quickly.
"We are getting more user-friendly for exercise in many parts of the country." Sidewalks, trails for runners, bikers and walkers and even neighborhood gyms can all help.
Smoking is also linked with high cholesterol, Carroll noted.
"I believe smoking has decreased. That could be one thing," she said.
The CDC says the number of smokers has plummeted by nearly 20 percent in the past 10 years to less than 17 percent of the population.
Carroll notes that food companies have moved to get rid of trans-fats in processed foods. These artificially hardened fats have been shown to worsen cholesterol levels even more than naturally saturated fats such as butter.
The Food and Drug Administration is moving to limit their use but groups such as the American Heart Association have been warning people about them for years.
The cholesterol patterns were not all good. Carroll's team also found that fewer people had high enough levels of so called good cholesterol - the high density lipoprotein or HDL cholesterol. They found 18.5 percent of adults had HDL levels under 40, compared to 21 percent in 2009-2010. It's not clear why.
http://www.nbcnews.com/health/heart-health/startling-studies-show-diabetes-high-cholesterol-rates-falling-n472796
Posted in these groups: 
Health and Wellness
FitnessCenters for Disease Control and PreventionMayo Clinic
Health and Wellness FitnessCenters for Disease Control and PreventionMayo Clinic
Edited 9 y ago
Posted 9 y ago
Responses: 8
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Exercise. My father and brother had extremely high cholesterol levels and suffered for it. My father began having strokes in his mid-40s. My brother has total blokage of his carotid arteries. Their problem was they both could eat anything and never gain weight while I gained just watching them eat. Diet never affected my cholesterol. However, if I exercise regularly, my cholesterol drops.
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For me in addition to the cholesterol medication I take, I have found that triple omega has helped reduce my LDL and triglyceride levels [the high triglyceride level was inherited from my dad] MSgt Curtis Ellis. I tested it 6 years ago under a doctor's supervision and it showed a measurable reduction. Fish oil is good for many but I can't tolerate it.
Cinnamon capsules help some people to control their blood sugar.
I stopped smoking in 1986 and drinking in 1987. Eliminating both of those habits cold turkey has helped but hereditary roles stall are a factor.
Cinnamon capsules help some people to control their blood sugar.
I stopped smoking in 1986 and drinking in 1987. Eliminating both of those habits cold turkey has helped but hereditary roles stall are a factor.
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LTC Stephen F.
MSgt Curtis Ellis - I certainly hope and pray that negative heredity skips you your children, and grandchildren :-)
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I hop on my treadmill regularly, has been beneficial to own one. Can't make excuses. I also run in local 5Ks and and will be doing Polar Bear Plunge on 1 Jan.
We are vegetarians Mon-Fri, eat lots of fruits and drink gallons of water.
We are vegetarians Mon-Fri, eat lots of fruits and drink gallons of water.
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MSgt Daniel Attilio
It starts with a 1.5 mile run (there was option for 3 but that's just crazy in 15°ish weather) then 3 dips in the the pool, first via slide and on third have to go to bottom of pool to retrieve the runner's medal. This will be my first time participating, brrr
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