U.S. researchers have suggested that diabetes-related drugs might also help people with Alzheimer's.Sergey Lavrentev/The Globe and Mail/Getty Images/iStockphoto
The rate of diabetes in British Columbia is expected to grow by 62 per cent over the next decade, according to the Canadian Diabetes Association.
In a report released Wednesday, the association says 338,000 British Columbians have the disease. By 2010, the number will increase to 548,000, or 10.3 per cent of the population - a predicted rate increase second only to that of Alberta at 67 per cent.
The association estimates that diabetes management costs the B.C. government $1.3-billion a year, a figure that will grow to $1.9-billion if no action is taken.
"The numbers are staggering and they're difficult to deal with," said association president and CEO Michael Cloutier. "If we don't take action today, we'll face huge economic costs and societal burdens."
The report attributes the potential increase of British Columbians with diabetes to population growth, an aging population, declining mortality rates and the number of people with diabetes who enter the province each year.
To offset the impact of diabetes on the province's economy and health-care system, Mr. Cloutier advocates focusing on secondary preventive measures for people with the disease to prevent or delay costly complications.
"Eighty per cent of costs of managing diabetes is in managing downstream complications like kidney failure, heart attack, blindness and amputations," he said. "We continue to support healthy lifestyles related to primary prevention, like weight reduction, good nutrition and increasing physical activity, but we're looking to revitalize and increase activity related to dealing with people living with this disease."
The government, private sector and individuals must also work together to better manage diabetes, and to ensure equitable access to diabetes medication, medical devices and supplies and healthy lifestyle programs, Mr. Cloutier said.