Diabetes prevention at 50 in the US a good idea

A recent study, published in leading medical journal Diabetes Care, indicates that it could be more cost effective to pay for diabetes prevention in America once the age of 50 is reached.
Approximately one-third of the adult population of the US is now pre-diabetic or suffering from metabolic syndrome. This study hazards the opinion that treating diabetes at age 50 is far more cost effective than treating people aged 65, which is the age at which people become eligible for Medicare. Many, at this stage, have already developed the disease.
The study was conducted at the Indiana University School of Medicine, and the author reportedly said: “Diabetes is growing with the increasing rate of obesity and has reached epidemic proportions in this country. Cost-sharing strategies to offer lifestyle interventions to help individuals between the ages of 50 and 64 keep their weight down and to develop realistic individualized exercise programs would be a win-win situation for both pre-diabetic patients and for the private and governmental funders of their healthcare .”
The cost of preventative efforts to induce lifestyle changes would surely be less than the eventual cost of treatment post 65… Whether private insurance companies and Medicare will take note of the findings remains to be seen.