Ec 315

Diabetes: Is it preventable?

EC 315

TABLE OF CONTENTS

BACKGROUND 3

DISCUSSION OF RESULTS 5

SUMMARY 8

REFERENCES 9

APPENDIX 10

Diabetes: Is it preventable?

Background

Having come from a family who has been diagnosed with diabetes it is interesting to find out the leading cause of diabetes. The doctors can only relay so much information to a person, however it is up to the individual to be proactive. The purpose of this study is to find out the cause of diabetes. According to the National Diabetes Fact Sheet (2011), “Diabetes affects 25.8 million people, 8.3% of the U.S. population.” This disease was found in 2007 to be the seventh leading cause of death in the United States (National Diabetes Fact Sheet, 2011).

DIABETES = OBESE + AGE + PHYSICAL INACTIVITY

The dependent variable diabetes is determined by the independent variables obesity, age, and physical inactivity. The most important independent variable in this relationship is obesity because it has a direct correlation to the body. Diabetes affects the body and obesity has an effect on the body and the disease.

The dependent variable diabetes is a metabolism disorder, which is the way that the body uses the food consumed for energy. The sugars and starches in food are broken down into glucose. The pancreas creates insulin, which helps glucose get into the cells and convert it to energy. Therefore, when the body doesn’t make enough insulin diabetes develops.

The primary independent variable, obesity is the most important because it’s a concrete variable. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention website (2012), “Most people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes are overweight.  Excess weight, particularly in the abdomen, makes it difficult for cells to respond to insulin, resulting in high blood glucose.” Obesity leads to other health problems, as well. The many modern conveniences...