Why Dining with Diabetes?

Diabetes is an expensive disease. The research report, "Economic Costs of Diabetes in the U.S. in 2022" estimates that the total cost of diagnosed diabetes has risen to $412.9 billion in 2022, this cost was estimated to be $245 billion in 2012. This represents a 59% increase over a ten-year period. This cost includes direct medical expenses ($306.6 billion) and the indirect costs atributed to diabetes ($106.3 billion). According to this study, people with diabetes spend an average of 2.6 times the amount people without diabetes spend each year on their health. That works out to an average of $19,736 a year per person, about $9,601 of which is directly attributed to diabetes. Source: National Library of Medicine, 2024.

Diabetes is one of the most costly health conditions in Kansas. Diabetes and prediabetes cost an estimated $2.6 billion in Kansas each year (CDC). More than 50% of spending on type 2 diabetes is for treating health problems that could have been prevented with better diabetes management. Research shows that diabetes can be treated and managed by healthful eating, regular physical activity, and medications to lower blood glucose levels. The Dining with Diabetes program provides education and training focused on behaviors shown to help people with diabetes stay healthy.

Diabetes by the numbers in Kansas*

• Approximately 248,300 people in Kansas, or 11% of the adult population, have diagnosed diabetes.
• Every year an estimated 13,300 people in Kansas are diagnosed with diabetes.
• Obesity is linked to 53% of new cases of type 2 diabetes each year. In Kansas, approximately 803,100 adults or 35.7% of the adult population, have obesity.

*Reference- Burden of Diabetes in Kansas

Note: Individualize meal plans or meal plan guidance is not a part of this program.