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Canwest News Service
Rates of diabetes among British Columbians have more than doubled over the last decade, a frightening trend that, if left unchecked, is expected to drive up health care costs, according to the province.
Last year, nearly 285,000 B.C. residents were living with diabetes, up from 133,000 in 1998.
The incidence rate mirrors national figures, which have reached epidemic proportions and are only expected to get worse.
More than two million Canadians have the disease and it's estimated another five million — 15 per cent of the country's population — are "pre-diabetic."
In B.C., someone is diagnosed with diabetes every 20 minutes, according to Donna Van Walleghem of the Canadian Diabetes Association.
A worrying number of the newly diagnosed are young adults and children.
"We are certainly very concerned about the health of British Columbians," said Ida Chong, B.C.'s minister of healthy living and sport.
Increasingly sedentary lifestyles and poor daily diets laced with sugar and fat are said to be driving the statistics, specifically among those diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes.
Type 2 diabetes accounts for 90 per cent of all diagnosed cases of diabetes in the province.
Unlike Type 1 diabetes, which is determined by genetics, Type 2 is closely linked to obesity and, therefore, considered to be preventable.
The alarming prevalence of the disease was the subject of a high-profile 2004 provincial health report, which called for a coordinated strategy to tackle the problem, involving government, doctors, communities and individuals.
At that time, provincial health officer Dr. Perry Kendall warned the number of diabetes patients in B.C. could soar to 390,000 by 2014, costing the health care system nearly a billion dollars.
Meanwhile, a reduction in diabetes rates by 25 per cent would reduce costs by $200 million within 10 years, Kendall said shortly after the report was released.
Chong said it's those statistics that prompted the government to launch, among other initiatives, a $22-million plan in 2007 aimed at promoting healthier lifestyles across the province.
In particular, the plan was designed to reach out to one million people, from seniors to school children, considered most at risk of developing chronic disease, including diabetes, cancer, heart disease, bronchitis and emphysema.
Those individuals included about 575,000 adults aged 35 to 54 — the most physically inactive age category in the province, according to research — living in northern or small rural communities around the province.
Many are aboriginal, or new immigrants to Canada, and most live in poverty and have low literacy skills, limiting their access to safe and affordable recreation and healthy food choices.
"Major changes" stemming from the government's efforts — which have also included banning junk food and soda from schools and restricting trans fats — will be felt long-term, said Chong.
At the same time, it's important that individuals "step up and take responsibility" for their own health, said Van Walleghem.
dahansen@vancouversun.com
DIABETES BASICS
– Diabetes is a disease in which sugar and starch are not properly absorbed by the body. The three main types of diabetes are Type 1, Type 2 and gestational diabetes.
– Type 2 is mostly diagnosed in people who are over the age of 40, and who are overweight or obese, according to the body mass index, which is calculated based on an individual's age, height and weight.
– People with diabetes are at a higher risk of early death due to direct complications or related conditions such as cardiovascular disease and chronic renal failure. According to provincial statistics, patients diagnosed with diabetes accounted for more than 20 per cent of all deaths in B.C. in 2003-04.
– Rates of diabetes among B.C.'s aboriginal people are approximately 40 per cent higher than in non-aboriginal communities.
Vancouver Sun
