A new study from the United States into the behaviour of people suffering from diabetes has found that may people are not able to alter their lifestyle and better manage their condition, despite warnings from their doctor.
The large-scale research project, which was sponsored by pharma giant AstraZenecan, involved 3,867 people with type 2 diabetes, found that 87 per cent of respondents were aware that obesity can make their diabetes worse, but that just 70 per cent had tried to lose weight during the last year and that a third had said they had kept to their desired weight for over six months.
It was also reported that 17 per cent of those taking part in the survey said they preferred to take medication than to go on a diet or lose weight, while only 5 per cent admitted to not even bothering to try and get healthy.
In terms of exercise, 63 per cent said their GP had recommended they raise the amount of physical activity they did in the last year, and just 13 per cent of respondents admitted to doing any physical activity within the last week.
Andrew Gree, director of Midwestern Endocrinology in Overland Park, Kansas, pointed out “We thought that if people knew something caused adverse effects, they would change their behavior. But it turns out that is not true.”

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