New Survey Shows Majority of Americans Need to Take Proper Steps to Manage Dia...( WASHINGTON Nov. 24 /- According to a ...),Health

WASHINGTON, Nov. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a new survey released today, the vast majority of Americans at risk for type 2 diabetes -- a whopping 83 percent -- are not taking the most basic steps of determining if they are at risk for the disease: getting a blood glucose test if they are at risk or taking the appropriate actions as a result of their test. The survey sought to determine a baseline among Americans on their level of awareness and knowledge regarding type 2 diabetes.

The survey showed those individuals are not meeting elements of an important diabetes target -- the National Diabetes Goal (NDG). The NDG was established in May 2008, by leading advocacy, health and business organizations and is the following: by 2015, 45 percent of Americans who are at-risk for type 2 diabetes will know their blood glucose level and what actions to take. Currently more than 40 professional organizations have joined forces and have committed to helping the nation achieve the goal by becoming a goal champion.

Reaching the Goal is critical when you consider that nearly 24 million Americans suffer from diabetes, a number that is expected to double by 2025, and 57 million have pre-diabetes. Further, according to the American Diabetes Association, the total annual economic cost of diagnosed diabetes in 2007 was estimated to be $174 billion. In factoring in other associated costs, such as the expenses associated with people with undiagnosed diabetes, pre-diabetes, and gestational diabetes, the economic cost is as much as $218 billion each year according to a study conducted by a NDG Champion, the Novo Nordisk's National Changing Diabetes(R) Program, and released earlier this month.

The survey on awareness and understanding of diabetes, also commissioned by the National Changing Diabetes(R) Program and NDG Champion Fleishman-Hillard, Inc., determined that 131 million Americans are at risk for type 2 diabe
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