Prior to 1921 (discovery of insulin), diabetes was more devastating than AIDS is to the present world population.  If a person were diagnosed with Type I diabetes, it was generally known that they would last only a few years at most.  Currently in the United States, more people die from diabetes per year than AIDS and breast cancer combined.  Today there are still no "cures" for the disorder, though managable treatments do exist.  Factors influencing the development of diabetes include genetics, old age, and sedentary lifestyles.  Unfortunately, lifestyles of the modern world promote the disease, and a large increase in Type II diabetes has been observed in juveniles.
 
 

Back to Diabetes Mellitus Index
 
 

References:
NIDDK National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse
CDC: Diabetes Public Health Resource
http://diabetes.about.com/cs/diagnosis/
http://project.bio.iastate.edu/Courses/GEN308/Chapter_Links/ch7.htm
lifeclinic
http://ring.mithec.com/side/diabetes.html

Helpful Links:
CDC Foundation
CDC Prevention Research Centers
Children and Diabetes
USDA Nutrition and Diabetes Resource List for Consumers
FDA Diabetes Information
American Diabetes Association (ADA)
Canadian Diabetes Association (CDA)
International Diabetes Federation
National Health Information Center (NHIC)
World Health Organization

Unhelpful Links:
Bovine Rhodopsin
 

page by Jeff Klomp