November - 3 - 2009
A new survey by the American Diabetes Association (ADA) shows that many Americans are uninformed of how deadly diabetes can become. Although diabetes is responsible for more U.S. deaths than breast cancer and AIDS combined, only 42 percent of the survey participants knew it was so dangerous. "There's a real lack of awareness of the seriousness of the disease," noted Sue McLaughlin, president of Health Care and Education for the ADA. One-third of the 2,081 people surveyed knew that too much sugar did not cause diabetes, and more than half incorrectly said that anyone who was overweight or obese would eventually develop type 2 diabetes. Almost 10 percent of respondents believed there was a cure for diabetes, although there is not yet, and less than 60 percent could correctly distinguish between type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Overall, Americans scored just 51 percent on the survey, considered a failing grade. The ADA has launched a new campaign called Stop Diabetes to promote awareness and knowledge, and to encourage people with diabetes to share their stories. "We hope the Stop Diabetes campaign will raise awareness about how important it is to be educated about diabetes and to get screened if you're at high risk," said McLaughlin.