An African Epidemic Shared by American Communities

The BBC reported on an emerging public health threat in Kenya that is already rampant in the US.

Type II diabetes has been found to afflict at least 1 out of 20 Kenyans in a community where a high-calorie diet and sedentary lifestyle are worrying to public health officials. An increase in strokes and heart attacks is what doctors are fearing for the community, in addition to the burden of other complications and the cost of medications to individuals.

Although doctors previously recognized Type II diabetes as a threat to wealthy Kenyans who could afford a rich diet, the growing availability of fast foods is causing the risk to spread to the general population.

Health advocates in the US have been sounding the alarm about Type II diabetes through public information campaigns, but the incidence of the disease is predicted to continue rising with the concurrent epidemic of overweight due to high-calorie diet and lack of exercise.

The BBC article:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7039629.stm

More information is available on LocalHealth about diabetes and overweight.