Latest news with #diabetesprevention
The Independent
09-07-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Nearly a third of US teens have prediabetes, CDC finds
Nearly a third of U.S. teens are prediabetic, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 2023, a count found that an estimated 8.4 million adolescents between the ages of 12 and 17 – or 32.7 percent – fell into that category. The alarming results are a 'wake-up call,' Dr. Christopher Holliday, the agency's top official in charge of diabetes prevention, said in a statement to ABC News. He said that the risk of type 2 diabetes poses a "significant threat" to young people's health. With prediabetes, a person's blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not high enough for a type 2 diabetes diagnosis. Having prediabetes increases your risk of developing type 2 diabetes, as well as heart disease and stroke. Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the U.S. Type 2 diabetes is a chronic condition that occurs when the body cannot use the essential hormone insulin, which helps manage blood sugar levels and aids the body in turning food into energy. Problems with insulin often start around puberty, according to Yale Medicine. Without treatment, it can cause kidney disease, stroke, and heart disease. 'Simple life changes – like healthy eating and staying active – can make a big difference in preventing or delaying type 2 diabetes,' said Holliday. The agency's research did not give a reason for their findings, but past research has shown the rate of prediabetes in Americans aged 12-19 had more than doubled between 1999-2002, and 2015-2018, leaping up from 12 percent to 28 percent. That JAMA Pediatrics report also showed that young people who live in poverty were more likely to have prediabetes. Having prediabetes has been tied to food insecurity, lack of public health insurance, and families with a household income at less than 130 percent of the federal poverty level, according to University of Pittsburgh researchers. Other risk factors include being overweight, having a family member with type 2 diabetes, being physically active less than three times a week, race and ethnicity. African American, Hispanic/Latino, American Indian, Alaska Native, Pacific Islander, and some Asian American people are at higher risk. In older Americans, more than one in three have prediabetes – but more than eight in 10 aren't aware of their condition. Without action, health authorities say they could develop type 2 diabetes within just five years. But, the condition can be reversed or delayed with small changes, according to the American Diabetes Association. If you are overweight, manage your weight by setting a simple exercise routine and eating meals that focus on fruits and vegetables, in addition to limiting red meat intake. The amount of sleep you get and stress levels are also important. 'Often only minor changes in dietary intake and minimal weight loss, together with more physical activity, will help chase diabetes away,' Dr. Sonia Caprio,, a Yale Medicine pediatric endocrinologist, explained.
Arab News
05-06-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Lean strengthens its global footprint with scientific achievements, strategic partnerships
Lean Business Services — the Kingdom's foremost developer of digital-health solutions and a Public Investment Fund portfolio company— continues to consolidate its leadership in the digital-health sector at both national and international levels. At ISPOR 2025 in Montréal, Canada, the company's research team presented three peer-reviewed studies grounded in advanced analytics and extensive national datasets before embarking on an official visit to South Korea to explore collaborations in health technology and research. The first study introduced an integrated economic model that assesses the cost-effectiveness of Type 2 diabetes-prevention programs over a 10-year horizon, capturing both direct and indirect costs from the first-year diagnosis through long-term complications. A second paper provided a comprehensive assessment to date of Saudi Arabia's chronic disease burden, leveraging records from more than 33 million individuals and sophisticated statistical models to inform resource allocation and healthcare planning. The third study delivered a five-year review of more than 2 million psychotropic prescriptions, pinpointing opportunities to refine prescribing practices, particularly for older adults, relative to other chronic-medication regimens. To broaden its international collaboration, a Lean delegation traveled to South Korea, where it joined the Saudi–Korean Business & Investment Forum, met leading health-tech institutions, and examined best practices at Seoul National University Hospital. Discussions focused on artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and population data analytics. Engineer Mohannad Al-Rasheed, Lean's chief executive officer, expressed pride in representing the Kingdom on these global stages. 'Lean is committed to building knowledge partnerships that elevate Saudi Arabia as an advanced hub for digital health,' he said. 'Our active participation in specialized international gatherings reflects the maturity of the Saudi health sector and its ability to export both expertise and solutions.' Driven by the conviction that data-powered innovation is key to a more efficient and inclusive healthcare future, Lean will continue to invest in research and cross-border collaboration, supporting Vision 2030's goal of a cutting-edge, sustainable digital-health ecosystem for the Kingdom.
