Source: Western University of Health Sciences

The numbers are staggering.
Diabetes affects 246 million people globally. Nearly 21 million children and adults in the U.S. have diabetes, including 6.2 million people who don't know they have the disease. If current trends continue, one out of three Americans, and one in two minorities, born in 2000 will develop diabetes in their lifetime. Since 1987, the death rate due to diabetes has increased by 45 percent, while the death rates due to heart disease, stroke and cancer have declined, according to the American Diabetes Association.
November is American Diabetes Month, providing opportunities to communicate the seriousness of the disease and the importance of proper diabetes control. Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2007 marked the first United Nations-observed World Diabetes Day. Among the activities were the formation of a human blue circle on the United Nations grounds and the lighting of monuments and buildings worldwide in blue. The blue circle is the global symbol for diabetes and the landmark lightings symbolize beacons of hope for those living with diabetes, according to the International Diabetes Federation.