The US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr is on a mission to make America healthy again.
One of his health-promotion ideas is to reduce chronic illness, specifically diabetes. And has part of his campaign he said that:
"a typical pediatrician would see one case of diabetes in his lifetime, over a 40 or 50 year career. Today, 1 out of every 3 kids who walks through his office door is prediabetic or diabetic. Twenty years ago, there was no diabetes in China, today 50% of the population is diabetic'
Diabetes does carry a huge burden of health, but are his numbers right and how much of a problem is diabetes in the US and around the globe?
We speak to diabetes expert and co-author of the Diabetes Atlas, Professor Dianna Magliano to find out more.
Presenter: Tim Harford
Producer: Lizzy McNeill
Series Producer: Tom Colls
Studio Manager: Rod Farquhar
Editor: Richard Vadon