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Report: Charleston Adults Have Very High Rate Of Diabetes
By: Associated Press
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CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) – A new report says Charleston, West Virginia had the second highest rate of diabetes last year out of nearly 200 communities surveyed across the nation.
News outlets report that a Gallup-Healthways report released Wednesday says 17.6 percent of adults in Charleston in 2015 had diabetes. Of the 190 communities studied, only Mobile, Alabama had a marginally worse rate of 17.7 percent.
The report found the overall incidence of diabetes in U.S. adults has grown from 10.6 percent in 2008 to 11.5 percent.
The community rankings were based on telephone interviews with 246,620 adults from all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Charleston Dr. Mary Ann Maurer tells the Charleston Gazette-Mail the prevalence of diabetes is largely due to a lack of exercise and poor eating habits.