Iowa Has Significantly Higher Rates of This Chronic Disease According to Data
Over 10 years ago, I had a doctor try to kill me. Then another one and, shockingly, another after that. I still have a few trying to do me in right now. Well, mainly when I visit their offices. They say, I have die-abetes. I say, nay, I want to live. I have live-abetes.
Don't let them try and put you down or put Baby in a corner, because nobody puts Baby in a corner.
The Epidemic of Diabetes in Iowa
In Iowa and across the nation, it's National Diabetes Awareness Month. According to the American Diabetes Association, Iowa has an epidemic on its hands, and that is diabetes.
- Around 248,000 adults in Iowa are living with diagnosed diabetes, which is about 10% of the adult population. This is a significant portion of the state.
- Many don’t know they have it: Another 70,000 people in Iowa have diabetes but haven’t been diagnosed yet. This is a big concern because those people aren’t managing their health, which puts them at a higher risk for complications.
Who Discovered Insulin?
Diabetes UK says Frederick Banting and Charles Best discovered insulin in 1921 at the University of Toronto. Banting and Best isolated insulin from dogs, induced diabetic symptoms, and then injected the dogs with insulin to return them to normal.
The discovery was announced to the world on November 14, 1921. It's a drug that has improved countless lives, including mine. If it weren't for insulin, well, a major dirt nap would be in the mix. Good to be alive, thanks Frederick and Charles.
The Cost of Diabetes in Huge
The American Diabetes Association goes on to say diabetes is not just a health issue, it’s an expensive one. In Iowa, the costs for diagnosed diabetes are around $2.6 billion a year.
People with diabetes spend about 2.3 times more on medical expenses than those without it. That doesn’t even include the $646 million lost each year due to people missing work or being less productive because of diabetes.
More than 820,000 adults in Iowa—about 34% of the adult population—have prediabetes. That means their blood sugar is higher than normal, but not high enough to be diabetes yet. If they don’t take action, many will end up developing type 2 diabetes.
New diagnoses are happening every year: Every year, about 18,883 people in Iowa are newly diagnosed with diabetes, which shows just how fast the problem is growing.
All these medical costs and lost productivity add up. In 2017, it was estimated that diabetes-related medical expenses alone cost Iowa $2 billion.
How is The Government Trying to Help Iowa?
The ADA reports the federal government is trying to help by funding diabetes research and prevention programs. In 2023, $2.2 million was invested into diabetes-related research in Iowa, and the CDC provided over $1 million in grants for diabetes prevention and education in 2021.
Diabetes is a serious problem in Iowa, both for people's health and for the state’s economy. It’s important to raise awareness, prevent more people from developing it, and support ongoing research to find better treatments and, eventually, a cure.
Can A Vampire Get Diabetes from Drinking Diabetic Blood?
No. First off, diabetic blood might be a bit thicker and more sluggish due to high concentrations of glucose, but it's a pancreatic condition.
First off one-point-five, why hasn't anyone written the hit song "Pancreatic Condition?" Seems to be a hit there, but maybe it's just me.
Second, you don't get diabetes from eating sweet things. Third, vampires can't get diabetes if they're already dead because they're presumably not using their pancreas. So, stop asking. I don't know that you were, but just in case. Now, stop asking.
Slang Names Iowans Use For Cities & Towns in Iowa
Gallery Credit: Sloppy Joe
Wickiup Hill Outdoor Learning Area Photos
Gallery Credit: Sloppy Joe