ADA Walk

It was a blustery fall day. Almost too cold, but we took part in the American Diabetes Association's Step Out- Walk to Stop Diabetes event. And yes, we were crazy enough to bring the two kids, though we we're expecting the morning temperatures to be below freezing so early in autumm.

The numbers however, are staggering. Almost 26,000,000 people in the country, or 8%, with over 6% of people about 65 years of age. Diabetes remains the leading cause of blindness and kidney failure, and is a major factor in vascular disease. And this number will only get higher in the future.

Though as an endocrinologist people say I shouldn't be complaining because of the job security, the truth is it's a worldwide problem that I wish we could do without. It's a (usually) chronic issue to which we have (usually- exception being something dramatic like bariatric surgery) no cure, only ways to treat it. And this usually requires tedious glucose testing and expensive medications. And so for patients and physicians alike, it's a very unsatisfying relationship. You are merely controlling the beast, usually not eliminating it.

The cause? Probably a very complex one, but in large part due to the ballooning of weight, obesity, that plagues modern society.

But it felt good to be out there. To see people united in their resolve. And perhaps someday, we can tame this beast.