In My Community

The Scope of Diabetes in Texas

Today, the State of Texas is home to nearly 2 million men, women and children with diabetes, over half a million of which reside in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.

Unfortunately, the Lone Star State has received more than its share of the diabetes epidemic. While our national average is 8.3%, a disproportionate 9.7% of Texans have diabetes.

As elsewhere in America, certain portions of our state’s population are hit especially hard. In Texas, 13% of African Americans and 11.1% of Latinos endure this deadly disease, as do more than 23% of Texans over the age of 65.

Too many of us are at risk. That diabetes is our sixth leading cause of death is a grim reminder of just how serious this deadly disease and its resulting complications truly are.

There is a Financial Cost, Too

Diabetes also threatens Texas’s financial health. The economic cost of diabetes to the state is estimated to be in excess of $12 billion each year. On average, people with diabetes have medical expenditures more than double that of people without the disease. Annually, there are more than 200,000 hospital admissions attributed to diabetes in Texas, the cost of which exceeds $3.5 billion.

Without doubt, today’s diabetes problem is very serious, but it is the future that’s truly frightening. Some experts project the total number of diabetes cases in Texas will increase to nearly 3 million by 2040*.

Others believe these estimates to be far too conservative, suggesting that as early as 2025 Texan diabetics will number 4 million, by which time the Dallas/Fort Worth area may be home to well over a million people with diabetes**.

How Could This Happen? Consider the Following…

• Of adult Texans, 37% are overweight, while another 29% are obese
• 30% report no leisure physical activity
• Only 25% of Texas adults eat enough fruits and vegetables
• Of 9-12th grade students, 32% are overweight or obese
• Only 17% of these students eat enough fruits and vegetables
• Only 45% get adequate physical activity
• Nearly 40% of these young people watch 3 or more hours of TV on a typical school day*** 

What Can We Do About It?

We can get healthy, one Texan at a time. Obesity, inactivity, and poor diet are clearly linked to the development of type 2 diabetes. You can prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes through a healthy lifestyle. Change your diet, increase your level of physical activity, and maintain a healthy weight. With these positive steps, you can stay healthier longer and reduce your risk of diabetes. You can also support our fight against diabetes by participating in one of our fundraising events or by making a donation.

The Dallas Office

The American Diabetes Association’s Dallas office is responsible for all of North Texas. In 2010...

• Over 300 children with diabetes attended our summer camps
• We reached over 330,000 people through health fairs and other community events
• We reached millions more through media campaigns and appearances
• We presented diabetes and health education to 74,000 children in 122 North Texas schools
• We raised over $1.3 million through special events and contributions

This year we plan to do even more. We anticipate reaching 450,000 people at local community events and expect to raise $1.5 million through special events and other contributions. We will continue funding research projects at North Texas institutions (currently there are ten, with total grant commitments exceeding $2.6 million).

If you have any questions, need help or want to help us fight diabetes, please don’t hesitate to contact us at, northtexas@diabetes.org, or 1-888-Diabetes.

Let’s Stop Diabetes!

*The Burden of Diabetes in Texas, Texas Diabetes Council
**Cost of Consequences – The Looming Diabetes Epidemic, Dr. William Rowley
***Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity