Not too long ago, a film came out that shocked America. That film was called “Super Size Me” by filmmaker Morgan Spurlock. Mr. Spurlock wanted to prove appoint about the American diet and how bad it is. He submitted himself to a diet of pure McDonald’s food. All he could eat was McDonald’s for breakfast, lunch and dinner for a full month. And when the cashier asked if he wanted the meal super sized, he would always say yes.Over a period of a month, he shows us what happens to his body and his health. Mr. Spurlock gains almost 25 pounds! His health declines in a major hurry. Even the doctors in the movie are shocked at how bad his heart, liver, blood levels become. In fact, they all warned him to stop before it gets really bad to the point of no return. Although this is an isolated case, the point Mr. Spurlock wanted to make was that the consumption of fast foods over a long period of time, can have an adverse affect on one’s health and body. The sad fact is that almost 18 million people in the US suffer from diabetes. And, what is worse, 3 million don’t even know they have it.

Causes of American Diabetes

There’s an old saying that the American’s are a well feed but under nourished group of people. The average American diet isn’t something to be proud of. Although diabetes is considered a to be a genetic disease, the chances of acquiring it increases as a person’s weight increases. Sadly, most Americans don’t exercise on a regular basis. Overweight, over eating and not enough exercise are some of the reasons why diabetes is soaring in the developed nations.

What are the Consequences of American Diabetes?

In the year 2002, the cost of American diabetes to the US economy was of $132 billion. This is divided into:
• $91.8 billion for direct medical expenditures
• $23.2 billion for diabetes care
• $24.6 billion for complications caused by diabetes
• $44.1 billion for medical conditions related to diabetes
Half of the direct medical expenditures, approximately $50 billion, were for people with an age of 65, or more.

American diabetes is a huge problem in the US. In the 2002 it was the sixth leading cause of death in America. Diabetes is certainly taking a toll on the health care system. If a cure were to be ever found, it is estimated that as much as $6 trillion dollars could be saved over a 30 year period. If no cure were to be found, then alternatives should be seriously looked at.

As an example, patient education. If patients could be taught to make exercise a daily routine as well as a change in their diet, it could potentially result in a huge savings to the government. Thanks to movies like “Super Size Me”, there is a national movement for better, healthier eating. However, it may take some years before we can see any tangible results.

Bookmark to: