More Than Half Of US Diabetics Have Arthritis

“More than half of U.S. adults with diabetes also have arthritis, raising a serious obstacle for diabetic patients urged to exercise, according to a government study. People with diabetes who exercise have better control of their blood sugar and a much lower risk of heart disease complications. But the new research suggests many diabetics see themselves as unable to exercise because of arthritis, said Julia Simard, a Harvard School of Public Health researcher who has studied rheumatoid arthritis and diabetes. More than 46 million Americans have some form of arthritis, and nearly 21 million have diabetes. The study found that 52 percent of diabetics said they also had arthritis. The conditions and the overlap were most common in Americans 65 and older. Other research indicates exercise is important in managing both conditions. Exercise that put less stress on joints, such as walking, biking and aquatics, are recommended for people with arthritis, said Dr. Chad Helmick, a CDC epidemiologist who co-authored the study.”

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