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American Morning

'House Call'

Aired December 01, 2003 - 09:21   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: This week's "Time" magazine cover story deals with a diabetes epidemic here in the U.S.. Of particular concern to health officials, an alarming rise in type II diabetes.
Dr. Sanjay Gupta is at the CNN Center with details on that this morning.

Sanjay, good morning.

And I guess the big question is, why this rise?

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, it's really striking, Soledad. First of all, to put the numbers in perspective, one in three people born in the year 2000 will likely develop diabetes, a third of people born in the last three years, really remarkable. Some of the reasons aren't going to be very surprising, as sort of people are already knowing what some of the complications of obesity are.

Take a look at the risk factors. People are obviously exercising too little, eating too much. Obesity being a huge risk factor for type II diabetes. And we're going to talk a little about the differences in activity as well.

But it's more than that. It's also genetic factors, as well. People are more predisposed to getting it. Somebody said to me, genes load the cannon, while your exercise lifestyle sort of triggers the cannon. High blood pressure being a risk factor, as well.

Also your mother's metabolic state. Did your mother develop diabetes when she was pregnant with you. That could be a risk factor. Obviously a lot of people are living longer and longer, living more normal lifestyles.

But there are complications of diabetes that people are aware of out there. This has been a huge problem -- heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, blindness and kidney disease being the biggest risk factors, being the biggest complications of diabetes.

If you take a look at it, men have the same problems, has the same problems with cardiovascular disease as someone who's already suffered a heart attack. Women who develop diabetes actually lose the cardio-protective effects that they have being women. And kids are increasing in numbers as well, in their 20s and 30s.

So it's a burgeoning problem, no question. One in three, that number really strikes me, Soledad. But the reasons are somewhat obvious.

O'BRIEN: That's a huge number.

Explain for me, back up a little bit, and tell me the difference between type I and type II diabetes, Sanjay.

GUPTA: Right, yes, it's an important thing. First of all, type II used to be called adult-onset diabetes. No longer, because kids are developing type II diabetes. What it is, basically type I diabetes is when your pancreas no longer produces insulin. It just doesn't make it anymore. It must -- everyone develops type I diabetes will eventually take insulin shots.

Type II diabetes a little bit different. Your pancreas may be producing insulin, but your body's more resistance to it. The insulin doesn't work as well. Oftentimes it's associated with obesity, exactly what the link is there. That's been a more complicated issue, Soledad.

People haven't really been able to tell why some obese people develop diabetes, while some very obese people don't develop diabetes, but that appears to be a risk factor, as well -- Soledad.

O'BRIEN: We only have a couple of seconds left, Sanjay, but give me a sense of the best way to treat, officials think, or researchers think, the best way to treat type II diabetes is?

GUPTA: Right, and I think it's important to point out there has been a lot of success in the treatments of diabetes. People are living longer and better lives than ever before. I mean, the treatments are somewhat obvious as well. Take a look at the list there, things that people can do to try to ward off diabetes. If you think about it, you know, obviously getting your blood sugar checked early. That's going to be a really important thing. There are glucose-regulating pills, which are pills that you can take instead of insulin shots. That may be an option for people before they go on insulin. Exercise and building up muscle will increase your metabolic rate, make you process sugars a lot better, avoiding junk food, losing weight, obvious solutions as well. Something's got to be done about the problem, Soledad. Those are some possible options.

O'BRIEN: Those are some terrible statistics. One in three born in 2000. Wow, Sanjay, that's pretty dramatic. Thanks for that update. Appreciate it.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired December 1, 2003 - 09:21   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: This week's "Time" magazine cover story deals with a diabetes epidemic here in the U.S.. Of particular concern to health officials, an alarming rise in type II diabetes.
Dr. Sanjay Gupta is at the CNN Center with details on that this morning.

Sanjay, good morning.

And I guess the big question is, why this rise?

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, it's really striking, Soledad. First of all, to put the numbers in perspective, one in three people born in the year 2000 will likely develop diabetes, a third of people born in the last three years, really remarkable. Some of the reasons aren't going to be very surprising, as sort of people are already knowing what some of the complications of obesity are.

Take a look at the risk factors. People are obviously exercising too little, eating too much. Obesity being a huge risk factor for type II diabetes. And we're going to talk a little about the differences in activity as well.

But it's more than that. It's also genetic factors, as well. People are more predisposed to getting it. Somebody said to me, genes load the cannon, while your exercise lifestyle sort of triggers the cannon. High blood pressure being a risk factor, as well.

Also your mother's metabolic state. Did your mother develop diabetes when she was pregnant with you. That could be a risk factor. Obviously a lot of people are living longer and longer, living more normal lifestyles.

But there are complications of diabetes that people are aware of out there. This has been a huge problem -- heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, blindness and kidney disease being the biggest risk factors, being the biggest complications of diabetes.

If you take a look at it, men have the same problems, has the same problems with cardiovascular disease as someone who's already suffered a heart attack. Women who develop diabetes actually lose the cardio-protective effects that they have being women. And kids are increasing in numbers as well, in their 20s and 30s.

So it's a burgeoning problem, no question. One in three, that number really strikes me, Soledad. But the reasons are somewhat obvious.

O'BRIEN: That's a huge number.

Explain for me, back up a little bit, and tell me the difference between type I and type II diabetes, Sanjay.

GUPTA: Right, yes, it's an important thing. First of all, type II used to be called adult-onset diabetes. No longer, because kids are developing type II diabetes. What it is, basically type I diabetes is when your pancreas no longer produces insulin. It just doesn't make it anymore. It must -- everyone develops type I diabetes will eventually take insulin shots.

Type II diabetes a little bit different. Your pancreas may be producing insulin, but your body's more resistance to it. The insulin doesn't work as well. Oftentimes it's associated with obesity, exactly what the link is there. That's been a more complicated issue, Soledad.

People haven't really been able to tell why some obese people develop diabetes, while some very obese people don't develop diabetes, but that appears to be a risk factor, as well -- Soledad.

O'BRIEN: We only have a couple of seconds left, Sanjay, but give me a sense of the best way to treat, officials think, or researchers think, the best way to treat type II diabetes is?

GUPTA: Right, and I think it's important to point out there has been a lot of success in the treatments of diabetes. People are living longer and better lives than ever before. I mean, the treatments are somewhat obvious as well. Take a look at the list there, things that people can do to try to ward off diabetes. If you think about it, you know, obviously getting your blood sugar checked early. That's going to be a really important thing. There are glucose-regulating pills, which are pills that you can take instead of insulin shots. That may be an option for people before they go on insulin. Exercise and building up muscle will increase your metabolic rate, make you process sugars a lot better, avoiding junk food, losing weight, obvious solutions as well. Something's got to be done about the problem, Soledad. Those are some possible options.

O'BRIEN: Those are some terrible statistics. One in three born in 2000. Wow, Sanjay, that's pretty dramatic. Thanks for that update. Appreciate it.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com