The diabetes retail storm

Diabetes, the insidious chronic disease which is sweeping American, India and numerous other countries around the world, has spawned a substantial industry. Not only that, some of the primary causes of type 2 diabetes are produced by vast companies.
The statistics available for the state of diabetes in America are staggering. According to the Centres for Disease Control and Preventio, the number of type 2 diabetics has now exceeded the 18 million mark. The total diabetic population is thought to be well over 21 million. Type 2 can be controlled by diet and exercise.
Many of the companies producing fast food, and foods high in sugar and soda, have enormous profit margins – but at what cost? Every American child born in the year 2000 or later has a 1 in 3 chance of contracting diabetes. Furthermore, one in every 2 Latino child born at the same time will develop the disease.
The costs to the healthcare system are staggering, with a figure beginning to approach $100 billion in direct medical costs. The ADA (American Diabetes Association) estimate that diabetes accounts for 10 per cent of health spending.
The marketing information firm IRI detailed the following in one of their reports: ”ideal targets for retailer and manufacturer programs aimed at driving sales growth. Many ailments such as diabetes and high cholesterol are regularly treated with prescription medication . For retailers and manufacturers, this translates to frequent shopping trips and thus, countless opportunities to build relationships and drive non-prescription behaviour.”