Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Where has all the sugar gone?

there is a problem with americans being too fat and diabetic. of course we know we're fat....we're fat, not stupid.

today in the new york times, they are reporting an increase in the number of americans with type II diabetes. and everybody seems to have forgotten the baby boom.

that's right.....the baby boom! i know, because i'm one of the last of the baby boomers, born in 1963. what i'm saying is, they need to temper their statistics according to all the baby boomers reaching those ripe old ages where the onset of type II diabetes becomes a real threat. everybody seems to forget the boom factor.

they mention that it's only type II diabetes almost as if it's an afterthought. but that tends to hit people when they're....what? in their sixties? so we have this major portion of the population reaching their retirement years, and then are surprised by an increase in elderly afflictions?

a 15% rise in 2 years sounds about right, and not like it's a 200% or 300% increase. that's when the bells and whistles should be going off. in fact, 15%, in proportion to overall population, might actually be a DECREASE in diabetic rates.

plus how can you call diabetes an epidemic? is it communicable? when was the last time somebody sneezed on you and gave you diabetes?

something else hit me as funny today, and that was how Obama is giving away refrigerator magnets (calling them "car magnets," but everyone knows magnets go on the refrigerator) to anyone who gives $15 or more to his campaign. sounds too much like PBS.....yep...yep...yep....

but since everybody has decided that americans are too fat and giant ticking time bombs for diabetes, maybe he should be busy trying to rope in the masses with what's IN the refrigerator instead....

even i might chip in a few dollars if i could get some twinkies out of it....mmmmmmmm.......twinkies........



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this is an addendum to my original blog. thought i would throw out some numbers, to show what i'm talking about....

"147 percent - The projected percentage that the 65+ senior population will increase between 2000 and 2050.

The U.S. population as a whole is expected to increase by only 49 percent during same period." ~seniorliving.about.com


"As the oldest baby boomers become senior citizens in 2011, the population 65 and older is projected to grow faster than the total population in every state. In fact, 26 states are projected to double their 65- and-older population between 2000 and 2030." ~seniorjournal.com


the first of the baby boomers are hitting 65 years old in 2011....that means that they hit 60 five years before that, or 2006. coincidentally, that marks the 2 year framework that they have noted increases in diabetic rates.

the senior population growth rate between now and 2050 looks to be approximately three times that of the general population. with type II diabetes generally being a senior affliction, we can logically look for as much as 300% increase in diabetic rates between now and 2050. or, more accurately, if seniors make up about 80% of type II diabetic cases, then we can expect the numbers of those with diabetes to increase 240% by 2050.

also, the rate of discovery of diabetes has increased.....from only 70% of the cases being discovered, to 76% from 2005 to 2007. that means that a good part of the increase is because more people are being diagnosed. ten years ago, only 50% of the diabetic population was actually diagnosed.

to conclude.....there is NO real increase in the rate or prevalence of type II diabetes.

it's a real bitch trying to find the numbers of actual diabetic cases 2 years ago. but if it's up 15% to 24 million, that means the number 2 years ago was around 21 million. 2 years ago the US population was 299,398,484, today it is 304,434,455. that makes today's rate around 7.8 percent, and two years ago around 7 percent.

so the number of americans with diabetes is actually up less than 1 percent. throw in the fact that more diabetic cases are being diagnosed, and the baby boomers hitting their senior years....well, looks to me like rather than increasing to "epidemic" proportions, diabetes might be on the decline.

if i could get the numbers for the increase in the senior population (which our last census was in 2000) and the percentage of type II diabetes that they make up, (knowing 25% percent of seniors have type II diabetes is of no help, need to know what percentage of those with diabetes are seniors) then i could prove that rates for the prevalence of diabetes is actually down in other age groups....

but since i'm not getting paid for any of this research....i welcome anyone else to have a go at it, but time for me to go have a smoke and blow it all to the summer breeze.....










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Monday, June 23, 2008

has anyone noticed it's harder to get a tan these days?

reading a fox news article today.....i know, i know! fox news.....uh-huh.....

but anyway, it was a side trip from global warming issues, and spoke of sun activity in recent years.

believe it or not.....our sun seems to be pooping out on us a bit of late. scientists aren't too concerned, because they figure the green house gases we've got.....all that fun stuff, well it's busy warming the planet anyway. next thing you know, they'll be telling us we don't need the sun at all....

well, myself have noticed over the last several years that the sun doesn't feel the same on my skin. mostly i figured it was just a manifestation of my insanity, or perhaps a symptom of getting old.

so was surprised to read that since about 2002 there have been almost NO sunspots.....and according to the article, when the sun would normally have 100 or more sunspots, it puts off more ultraviolet radiation......i.e. the stuff that makes you tan.

another interesting point, is that without the magnectic activity, the sun no longer protects us from what they laughingly call "cosmic rays." have no clue what that's supposed to be, but apparently we're getting hit by space cooties every day now and don't even know it....

in what i consider a related post, news today was released that states people with low levels of vitamin D are more likely to die. within this article, it reports that there is a world-wide lowering of vitamin D levels:

"Global Low Vitamin D
In an article accompanying the research, the researchers report that on average both older and younger people around the world may not be getting enough vitamin D.

They speculate that it may be due to air pollution, a lack of outdoor activities, and increased urbanization, with more people staying and working indoors.
"

well, i propose that the lower levels may be due to the decrease in sunspot activity. so going outdoors may not be the cure...suggest everybody be sure and drink up their milk!