DR. WALLACE: About a month ago I met a girl at a party and fell "head over heels" in love with her. We are both 19 and have good jobs. Since the evening we met, we have been inseparable. I see her five evenings a week and we talk on the telephone when we don't see each other. Every moment spent with her is like a moment in paradise. She is everything a guy could desire. She is bright, good-looking, has a great sense of humor and a beautiful figure. I have dated many girls, but this woman is the first one to cause me to even think about getting married some day.
Now comes the letdown. Last night she told me we could not see each other anymore because her fiance was coming home from England in a week and she was going to be spending all her time with him. She said that her fiance and she had an agreement that allows them the freedom to date others while he was studying for a semester abroad in England.
Of course, I asked her why she didn't tell me that she had a fiance, and she said that she didn't think it was important because she thought we were going out only as friends. Now I feel totally ripped off! What do you think about this? — Bummed out big time, via email
BUMMED OUT: This girl should have told you that she had a fiance, but that she also had the freedom to date while he was still in England.
Don't sit at home feeling sorry for yourself — get back into circulation as soon as you can. Try really hard to think positively about what happened. You did have an enjoyable time for a month with her and who knows what the future may bring? Don't get mad either — leave the present situation on a positive note, and let know how much you enjoyed her company and how highly you think of her. If things don't work out as expected with her fiance, she could contact you again. If she doe not, you have had a great dating experience to build upon for your future relationships — where I trust you will proactively ask about "dating status" in advance from here on out.
THIS IS A PREVENTATIVE CONDITION
TEENS: About 2 million young people have a condition called impaired fasting glucose, which is linked to obesity and lack of proper exercise. This puts them at risk for diabetes and cardiovascular problems, according to research conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and prevention and The National Institute of Health. This may account for the dramatic rise doctors are seeing in teens suffering from adult-onset diabetes.
The researchers found that one in 14 teens in a nationally representative sample of young people of both sexes have the pre-diabetic condition, which is manifested by the prevalence of abnormally high blood sugar levels after several hours without eating. Among overweight teens, one in six had the pre-diabetic condition.
More than 100 million U.S. adults are now living with diabetes or pre-diabetes, according to a July, 2018 report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The report finds that as of 2015, 30.3 million Americans — 9.4 percent of the U.S. population -have diabetes. Another 84.1 million have pre-diabetes, a condition that if not treated often leads to type 2 diabetes within five years.
The report confirms that the rate of new diabetes diagnoses remains steady. However, the disease continues to represent a growing health problem: Diabetes was the seventh leading cause of death in the U.S. in 2015. The report also includes county-level data for the first time, and shows that some areas of the country bear a heavier diabetes burden than others.
"Although these findings reveal some progress in diabetes management and prevention, there are still too many Americans with diabetes and pre-diabetes," said CDC Director Brenda Fitzgerald, M.D. "More than a third of U.S. adults have pre-diabetes, and the majority don't know it. Now, more than ever, we must step up our efforts to reduce the burden of this serious disease."
Diabetes is a serious disease that can often be managed through physical activity, diet, and the appropriate use of insulin and other medications to control blood sugar levels. People with diabetes are at increased risk of serious health complications including premature death, vision loss, heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, and amputation of toes, feet, or legs.
The report finds that:
—In 2015, an estimated 1.5 million new cases of diabetes were diagnosed among people ages 18 and older.
—Nearly 1 in 4 four adults living with diabetes — 7.2 million Americans — didn't know they had the condition. Only 11.6 percent of adults with pre-diabetes knew they had it.
—Rates of diagnosed diabetes increased with age. Among adults ages 18-44, 4 percent had diabetes. Among those ages 45-64 years, 17 percent had diabetes. And among those ages 65 years and older, 25 percent had diabetes.
Diabetes researchers say the numbers are, and remain, very disconcerting. Teens, I fully agree these are very alarming statistics. Always remember you are responsible for your bodies and your lives. Remember, obesity and interactivity trigger diabetes! This is most often a preventable condition. Don't allow this to happen to you.
Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. E-mail him at rwallace@thegreatestgift.com. To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.
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