Diabetes on the rise in New York City

New York (WABC) -- A new report has found a troubling increase of diabetes among New Yorkers.

The study by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene says nearly one in 10 adults has the disease.

That's 68,000 more cases than just five years earlier and significantly above the national average. An estimated 200,000 New Yorkers have the disease and don't even know it. The report also warns that 23 percent of adults have blood-sugar levels high enough to put them at high risk for developing the condition.

Diabetes, which is often brought on by obesity, is the fifth biggest cause of death in the city. It can lead to heart attack, stroke, kidney failure, blindness, and amputations.

The research also found links between diabetes a person's race and income. People who live in the poorest neighborhoods are nearly twice as likely as residents of wealthier areas to have the disease, and diabetes death rates are similarly elevated for blacks and Hispanics compared with rates for whites and Asians.

To help prevent the disease, health officials recommend that people try to keep their weight under control by getting enough exercise and watching what they eat.

You can read the full report here: http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/downloads/pdf/survey/survey-2009diabetes.pdf

Get more Health News »

• Comment Now
• Email
• Print
• Report a typo
•