Steep Fall In Death Rates Among Diabetics

Poor journalism. Worse editing. The NYT should have a rule in its style guide that requires any story about "diabetes" to differentiate between type 1 and type 2.

There are AT LEAST two types of diabetes, and almost certainly more. Latent Autoimmune Diabetes of Adults (LADA)--sometimes called Type 1.5--and Maturity Onset Diabetes of the Young (MODY) are just two variants that have been identified thus far.It may also be worth noting that MANY morbidly obese people never get diabetes; and slim adults do sometimes get diabetes. So the mechanisms are more complicated than the oft-heard "diabetes (type 2) is caused by overeating and gaining weight." The cure advocated by those who embrace this point of view (including many doctors) is usually "get off the couch, get some exercise, lose weight, and you will be cured." For diabetics with adult onset, a BMI of 20, and a chronic gym habit, this advice is not particularly helpful. It seems likely that, along with genetic components, carbohydrate and fat metabolism are involved. Fatty liver and pancreas may be factors, but there isn't good information on how to evaluate and treat these conditions, so that many diabetics are conducting "research studies of one" on themselvesSadly, much of the research that is being done is unwilling to look at the evidence we already have, and is so poorly designed that it will be at least a generation before much is done to sort out the causes and possible strategies for coping with this complex disease. By which time many of us will be dead, and a huge cohort of younger people will have the disease with all of its nasty complications.

Husband of a type 1 diabetic also echoing the disappointment at the laziness in this post (including both Mr. Bakalar and Ms. Saydah). Great, it's a blog post and not a proper article, but neither the NYT nor the CDC should be saying the word "diabetic" about anything unless they mean ALL diabetics of both types. Seriously. The Center for DISEASE Control doesn't understand that these are two completely different diseases?Also to the NYT Editors: why do your writers HARDLY EVER address their articles' comments or the valid criticisms leveled therein? I want to say NEVER but can't be sure that's true. Still, I've never seen it happen.

Only the most dedicated government bureaucrat can see the injustice when the beneficiaries of government largesse present evidence that improved health care actually has any benefit. That's not supposed to happen! All government programs should be totally ineffectual - regardless of this cost. This conundrum has been in effect since some monkeymen cheated the grim reaper by controlling fire. The end result of civilization is that some stinking, rotten and decrepit humans enjoy a few more years of life. Every morning I wake up and think how much I could save if I were dead - then I get out of bed, face reality and read the comments in the NYtimes website. I am sure there is a whole department in Washington looking forward to my death. Thanks, guys, you are really earning the salary paid for by my taxes..

How can one call this a scientific article when you don't distinguish what type of diabetes. You did a great injustice to the parents of type 1 kids who saw the headline and read the article expecting a few moments of hope and relief!