LifeNuts
  • LifeNuts
    • What is a LifeNut?
    • Origin of LifeNuts
    • LifeNuts Levels
    • What is a LifeNuts Community?
    • Why LifeNuts Works
    • How to Get Started
    • Current LifeNuts Communities
  • Founder's Story
    • Speaking
    • Credentials
  • Stress
    • Concepts of Stress
    • Diseases of Stress
    • PNI
    • The Relaxation Response
    • Psychological Stress Management
    • The Faith Factor
    • Relationships
  • Health
    • Nutrition
    • LifeNuts Fitness
    • Supplements
    • Sleep
    • Excuses
    • Time Management
    • Children >
      • Childhood Obesity
      • LifeNuts for Kids
  • Financial
    • Financial Stress Management
    • Transitioning
    • Goal Setting
  • Blog ...
    • LifeNuts in the News!
    • Blog
    • Are You Faster Than a 91-year-old Challenge
    • FAQ
    • Contact Us
    • The LifeNut Forms

Obesity, Diabetes, and Feet

11/18/2013

0 Comments

 
Picture
As obesity rises in our country, so does diabetes, especially Type II, the kind many overweight adults come down with. In extremely obese individuals, one of the major dangers from diabetes is the foot ulceration, which occurs in about 15% of people with diabetes. Podiatry Management, (www.podiatrym.com), a journal for foot doctors, devoted its November/December issue to
“the diabetic foot.”

They quote a number of interesting statistics: in the last ten years, obesity incidence has increased by 60% in adults; in 1985 ten states had less than 10% obesity prevalence and none had one over 15%. Today, about 30% of US adults are obese and about 70% are overweight or obese. The journal explained that in 2012 $471 billion was spend on diabetes-related healthcare worldwide. Yes, obesity isn’t strictly an American epidemic. In the US, diabetes affects nearly 26 million or about eight percent of the population. However, as obesity rises, so will diabetes.

One article emphasized that the five-year mortality rate associated with a foot ulcer is 45%. Compare that to the five-year mortality rate of breast cancer patients, which is 18%. Not pleasant.

Some of the articles showed photos of foot ulcers, which, of course, you can see instantly by searching for them on a Google image search. They’re not pretty. And, according to a friend of mine who practices podiatry, diabetic patients with foot problems come in every day. And most are obese. According to him,
“Everybody wants to play but nobody wants to pay.”

The LifeNuts lifestyle seems difficult for the average person to adopt but actually it’s much easier than it appears. And, if you know a friend or relative with a weight problem, why not suggest this new lifestyle? It might prevent him or her from succumbing to diabetes and, in a worse case scenario, losing a foot!

Last week I had lunch with an old friend (in his 50s) whose BMI was probably in the low 30s, just beyond the obesity threshold. He complained that he was recently diagnosed with diabetes and had to limit his food choices along with changing some other unhealthy habits. So I spent most of the lunch time talking about choices, the LifeNuts lifestyle, and the books of Dr. Neal Barnard, especially his book on reversing diabetes through diet. I hope my friend listened and makes some changes in his life. If not, his future will not be fun. “Everybody wants to play … "


0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Dr. Bob Kroeger is the founder of LifeNuts. He's also proud to be a LifeNut.

    Archives

    October 2020
    August 2020
    May 2020
    February 2020
    September 2019
    August 2019
    February 2019
    August 2018
    July 2018
    May 2018
    March 2018
    September 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    January 2017
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    January 2015
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    June 2012

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Photos used under Creative Commons from USACE Europe District, GerryT, uyeah, thelesleyshow, Elvert Barnes, phalinn, achimh, lilli2de, SCA Svenska Cellulosa Aktiebolaget, Serge Melki, Ryan Somma, CitySkylineSouvenir, Kyle Taylor, Dream It. Do It., Iman Mosaad, Skånska Matupplevelser, Gloria Gemma Breast Cancer Resource Foundation RI, SteakEat, Spirit-Fire, rexipe, Mark Z., db Photography | Demi-Brooke, Official U.S. Navy Imagery, whistler1984, sillygwailo, paddling, USACE Europe District, smith_cl9, emilio labrador, Kevin M. Gill, Kai Brinker, Victor Olausson, Joe Shlabotnik, cNathanielw, treehouse1977