The American Diabetes Association (ADA) this week called on Congress to increase federal funding for diabetes research and prevention, pass stem cell legislation and protect diabetes health coverage — changes that could help reverse the increase in diabetes prevalence and reduce the nationwide burden of diabetes and its complications on the healthcare system.
The ADA — the U.S.’s leading voluntary health organization that supports diabetes research, information and advocacy — also pointed out something of which I daresay many Americans are unaware.
Despite the growing diabetes epidemic, last year, Congress passed a budget to cut federal funding for diabetes research and prevention for the first time.
Wait, there’s more.
The Bush Administration’s proposed budget, recently announced, would further cut funding for diabetes research and prevention at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Seriously, why would Congress choose to cut back on funding at a time when diabetes is soaring out of control?
What is more important than the health of our nation’s children and adults?
FYI, in its announcement, the ADA rattled off the new figure of which many are unaware (and which I wrote about recently). Recently, the number of Americans with diabetes has surged considerably. Now nearly 21 million Americans have the disease; back in 2003, 18.2 million people had it.
Even more scary:
- The cost of diabetes in the U.S. in 2002 was at least $132 billion.
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One of every 3 Americans born in 2000 and one of every two minorities, will develop diabetes in their lifetime.
Let me repeat and rephrase this: Given those horrifying figures and the growing diabetes epidemic, would someone please explain to me — as the ADA rightly pointed out — why last year Congress chose to cut federal funding for diabetes research and prevention for the first time?
ADA president Robert A. Rizza, M.D., said: "All of us want to look back a year from now and see that 2006 was the year that the Administration and Congress recognized there is a nationwide diabetes epidemic and they took meaningful steps to fight the epidemic."
The ADA clearly does some magnificent work, even if I don’t always agree with the organization’s statements. For instance, in June, as I blogged back then, I was quite unhappy with the ADA, for accepting a multi-million, three-year gift from large soft drink producer Cadbury Schweppes Americas Beverages that was ostensibly earmarked to fight obesity and diabetes in America.
And a month later, I became even more distressed and outright dumbfounded when the ADA’s top medical official told a reporter that sugar consumption has nothing to do with diabetes.
Indeed, when asked if sugary drinks have anything to do with diabetes, Richard Kahn, the ADA’s chief scientific and medical officer replied “No one has a clue of whether they do or don’t.” (He was quoted in an an astounding interview, published May 16 by the Corporate Crime Reporter.)
These comments shocked me since I’ve spent four-plus years researching and writing my book, SUGAR SHOCK!, which delves into studies showing an undeniable connection between our nation’s excessive intake of sugars and numerous such diseases as obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.
Despite my unhappiness back then with the ADA, the organization deserves considerable kudos and hurrahs for bringing this horrific governmental financial faux pas to our attention. And jeers to Congress for cutting back on funding when it’s most needed!
To read about the ADA’s announcement and specific recommendations, go here.