Some Diabetes Statistics

An estimated 16 million people in the US have diabetes
Only half of these have been diagnosed ( in a 1980 census about half of the randomly chosen individuals with diabetes confirmed on the basis of a positive OGTT had previously admitted to knowledge of diabetes diagnosis)
Diabetes is the leading cause of (1) end-stage renal disease (2) amputations (non-traumatic) (3) blindness and (4) impotence

The above Diabetes-related complications can be prevented by tight control of blood-sugar levels
Diabetes ranks fourth (4th) as the leading cause of death in the US (mostly from cardiovascular disease)
Mortality and Cardiovascular disease in Diabetes can be prevented by:- (1) smoking cessation (2) tight control of blood pressure (to less than 130/80) and (3) reduction of LDL-cholesterol (bad-cholesterol)
$$$Diabetes-related total health care costs today in the US are over 90 billion dollars a year$$$$