MONTGOMERY, AL (WSFA) – Diabetes is a diagnosis that no one wants to hear, and according to the Centers for Disease Control and Preventionthe number of adults receiving this diagnosis has more than doubled over the past 20 years.

Dr. Beverly Jordan, a family physician at Enterprise, says signs to watch for include increased thirst, hunger, urination, weight loss and “fruity breath.”

“Regular screening really helps move forward and create interventions earlier, which leads to much better long-term outcomes,” she said.

According to Jordan, about 25 percent of people 65 and older have diabetes, and in the Deep South, that number is even higher.

She says this figure is closely linked to obesity rates, which is why it’s so important to create healthy habits.

“Provide the fuel stably,” she said. “So it’s much easier for your body to provide the same amount of fuel consistently than to provide large amounts of fuel here and there.”

For those who suffer, it is not only a health problem, but also a financial problem.

A survey carried out by the CDC in 2021 found that 16.5% of participants had to ration their insulin due to cost.

“There are certainly programs available, ways to get medications cheaper from the manufacturer and that sort of thing, so I definitely encourage all of my patients, and really all of your viewers, to be honest with their doctor if it’s is the reason they “If you don’t take their medication, it’s because they can’t afford it,” she said. “We can’t help you if you don’t tell us.”

Since this survey was conducted, the Biden administration has passed the Inflation Reduction Act, which capped the cost of insulin at $35 per month for people with Medicare.

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