More than 1.5 million New York State residents have diabetes—more people than could fill Yankees Stadium 27 times. The number of New Yorkers with diabetes has more than doubled in the last decade, and diabetes is the only chronic disease that continues to grow in prevalence. The disease affects racial and ethnic minorities more than others. In New York City, 13.8% of Hispanics, 11.3% of blacks, and 10.1% of Asians have diabetes, compared with 6.2% of whites. In the State, diabetes-related end-stage renal disease is highest among non-Hispanic blacks, underscoring disparities in access to effective prevention and management. Diabetes also contributes substantially to rising health care costs. The total cost of diabetes for New York in 2006 was estimated at $12.9 billion, including excess medical costs attributed to diabetes of $8.7 billion and lost productivity valued at $4.2 billion. NYSHealth is committed to reversing the diabetes epidemic by improving clinical care; mobilizing communities to identify, prevent, and manage diabetes; and promoting policies to sustain a comprehensive, coordinated care system for patients with diabetes and to enable communities to promote prevention strategies, such as making nutritious foods and recreation spaces more available.

Click here for Foundation Goals and Key Initiatives for Improving Health Care for People with Diabetes.

Features

Obesity and Diabetes Rising Faster in NYC Than Nationally

Some 173,500 adult New Yorkers became obese and more than 73,000 were newly diagnosed with diabetes from 2002 to 2004, according to a new study from the New York City Deparment of Health and Mental Hygiene. Click here for the full press release.