Type 2 diabetes is listed by the Mayo Clinic as #6 among the top 10 health problems among Americans. Diabetes can cause kidney damage, heart disease and blindness. It is also a leading cause of death in both men and women.
Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes. Obesity is common among people with diabetes. In fact, more than 80 percent of people with diabetes are overweight or obese. African Americans are twice as likely to get diabetes than any other race.
According to a report recently published by the Trust for America's Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, some states have a much higher rate of diabetes than the norm. In addition, the amount of diabetes has actually increased in six states.
So, which states have the highest amount people with diabetes? From highest to lowest, here are the top 10.
#1 - Alabama - 13.8 percent
#2 - West Virginia - 13 percent
#3 - Mississippi - 12.9 percent
#4 - South Carolina - 12.5 percent
#5 - Tennessee - 12.2 percent
#6 - Louisiana - 11.6 percent
#7 - Arkansas - 11.5 percent
#8 - North Carolina - 11.4 percent
#9 - Florida - 11.2 percent
#10 - Delaware - 11.1 percent
Compare these results with the top 10 states with the highest obesity rates. Look at how many states are on BOTH lists, clearly highlighting the link between obesity and diabetes:
#1 - Mississippi and West Virginia - 35.1 percent
#2 - Arkansas - 34.6 percent
#3 - Tennessee - 33.7 percent
#4 - Kentucky - 33.2 percent
#5 - Louisiana - 33.1 percent
#6 - Oklahoma - 32.5 percent
#7 - Alabama - 32.4 percent
#8 - Indiana - 31.8 percent
#9 - South Carolina - 31.7 percent
#10 - Michigan - 31.5 percent
