Im a big statistics geek. I like to go on long Google/Wikipedia journeys, looking up stats for weird and whacky things. So I got to Googling diabetes in Toronto. Yes, this is how I like to spend my free time, thank you very much. Anyways, I came across some interesting stats. And I thought my dear subscribers might find this interesting too.
So thats what well cover in this article:
- Trends over time for diabetes in Toronto
- How different parts of the city compare (Scarborough vs. downtown vs. Etobicoke, etc.)
- Diabetes prevalence by age
- Diabetes prevalence by income
Unlike most of my articles, this one is more of a this is interesting type of thing, as opposed to this is what you do about it. If you are interested in the latter, just check out my article, Exercise for Diabetes: Learn the Correct Exercise Prescription.
And if youre wondering where these stats came from, it was from the Toronto Public Health (TPH) site.
Trends Over time for diabetes in Toronto
So it looks like prevalence of diabetes has increased from 2003, up to 2014. In 2003, 6.7% of the population of Toronto had diabetes, whereas in 2014, 10.2% of the population of Toronto had diabetes.
If you think about it, thats a huuuuugggee increase. What explains this? Although the TPH site doesnt go into explanations, Id like to throw in my 2 cents.
My first cent: the population is aging. Older people have more diabetes than younger people (well talk about that in one of the next sections). Thats not to say that all people of a certain age have diabetes, but bad habits that you could get away with when you were younger (physical inactivity, not-so-nutritious food, and bad sleeping habits) catch up with you when you are older (so it might make sense to change your habits )
My second cent: nationalities. Different nationalities are predisposed to different conditions. The East Indian population has some of the greatest predisposition towards diabetes. East Asians (China, Japan, Korea, etc.) also have a higher predisposition towards diabetes. If youre within these 2 populations, you should be especially vigilant about your exercise, eating, and sleeping habits. And as the East Indian and East Asian population percentage rises in the Greater Toronto Area, so do the diabetes rates.
How Different Parts of the City Compare
Are there large differences between different parts of Toronto (unfortunately the other parts of the GTA werent reported on, like Markham, Richmond Hill, Mississauga, etc.), or is it fairly uniform throughout the city?
The answer is yes there are significant differences between neighbourhoods.
The neighbourhoods with the highest prevalence of diabetes are found in both east Scarborough (east of around Kennedy rd.), and northwest Etobicoke (west of Jane, north of Lawrence). These neighbourhoods have a prevalence of diabetes around 13.4%, which is more than 30% higher than the average for Toronto.
By contrast, almost all along Yonge, from Queens Quay, up to York Mills, the incidence of diabetes is very low, as it is around Bayview, from Bloor, up to around Finch. These areas have diabetes rates of under 6.9%.
Diabetes Prevalence by Age
Not surprisingly, diabetes does increase with age. Among 20-39 year olds in Toronto, diabetes rates are 2.6%. In the 40-64 age range, its 14.3%, and among people over 65, its 31.2%.
Now, if youre in the upper 2 age groups, dont just throw up your arms, and say its because of my age. Look at it this way: if youre between 40 and 64, and 14.3% have diabetes, it means that 85.7% of people in your age group dont have diabetes. And if youre over 65, and you see that 31.2% have diabetes, it means that 68.8% dont have diabetes.
So dont despair, my diabetic friend. Not all hope is lost. The majority of people do not have diabetes.
Theres a saying that time amplifies bad habits. Fortunately, your habits are within your control. I elaborate on this more in my article on how to build healthy habits.
Diabetes Prevalence by Income
Just as there are differences in the prevalence of diabetes by region and by age, there are also differences by income, with a progressive decreasing of diabetes prevalence with increasing income.
In the income bracket of under $40,000/year, the incidence of diabetes is highest: 11.9%. For those between $60-$80K/year, the rate of diabetes is 11.0%. And for those making over $100K/year, the rate of diabetes is 8.2%.
Which makes sense, because if youll remember from earlier in this article, cost of living is higher along Yonge and Bayview, compared to East Scarborough, and northwest Etobicoke. So it makes sense that people who make less money would live in those areas.
Pretty interesting stuff! Now again, the purpose of this articles is just to highlight some statistics on diabetes in Toronto, as opposed to tell you what to do about it. Ive written a number of articles on that topic already, so if youre curious, check those out:
How Exercise Affects Blood Sugar
How Mandy Reversed Her Type 2 Diabetes with Strength Training
