(SUSSEX COUNTY, Del.)- An estimated 93,363 people currently have type two diabetes in the state of Delaware, according to the American Diabetes Association.
This costs the Delaware 1.1 billion dollars a year to treat. On Wednesday, a Delaware Leadership Summit took place in Rehoboth Beach, addressing the issues associated with the high diagnosis and high costs.
Seven students at Cape Henlopen High School have diabetes. Cindy Ockels, the school nurse, said it's one of the highest number of students in years signifying a clear rise in the disease.
According to one of the few endocrinologists in Sussex County, Dr. Anita Raghuwanshi, the number of people in Delaware with diabetes is double the national average.
Dr. Raghuwanshi said diabetes can lead to other health problems, which adds to the cost for the state.
"People on Medicare, Medicaid, people themselves who pay for their medicines and lost time from work is lost productivity. Essentially a total economic loss," said Dr. Raghuwanshi.
Dr. Raghuwanshi was one of the panelists at the summit on Wednesday, she said state leaders, like Governor Jack Markell, are working on ways to fight the diabetes epidemic.
One of the examples she gave was the addition of sidewalks on Route 1 in Lewes, a state effort to provide more recreational space for residents.
"The increase of type two diabetes tracks along the rate of obesity, so if you can fix obesity than you can fix the type two diabetes epidemic," Dr. Raghuwanshi said.
She furthered her explanation by stating eating less and moving more is key to preventing diabetes.
"One in two people over the age of 60 are pre-diabetic whether they know it or not. Some of them don't realize they are," said Cindy Beaver, a coach for the Y-M-C-A's Diabetes Prevention Program.
One of Cindy's students, Barbara Geibel, in the program was informed by her physician she was pre-diabetic and after a few months on this program: "just a little bit below that now, so I'm feeling really great," Geibel said.