More than half of the estimated 16 million American diabetics are over age 60 and almost 20 percent of those age 65 or older have the disease. Diabetes is the sixth leading cause of death for people age 65 or older. These statistics illustrate that diabetes is a growing problem for older adults. Managing diabetes may also be a problem because the way diabetes is managed changes with age due to several factors. These factors include insulin production decreases; less tolerance of glucose; coexisting conditions, such as hypertension, that increase the challenge of treating the disease; complications that can develop more quickly and severely than in younger people; and limited physical, mental, or financial means that may interfere with proper treatment.
Treatment and prevention for older Americans and the young alike begins with healthy behaviors such as eating a balanced diet, not smoking, and exercising.
