May 2006 — Type 2 diabetes is a serious and growing health problem among native North American adults and children. In native communities that have been studied, anywhere from 8% to 50% of adults now have type 2 diabetes. One study reported that 5% of Pima Indian youths aged 15 to 19 years old had diabetes.
The lifestyle of most native Canadians was transformed during the 20th century. Compared to their ancestors, most native Canadians today lead a sedentary lifestyle and eat mainly processed food that is high in calories and fat and low in fibre. The "efficient genes" that helped their ancestors thrive on a traditional, very active lifestyle, eating "wild food" that they hunted or gathered, have in many cases become a liability. The same genes now help native Canadians gain weight easily and predispose them to diabetes.
Addressing this problem is not simple. Many interrelated factors encourage obesity and diabetes; addressing only one or two is unlikely to solve the problem. For this reason, many health promotion specialists now favour an "ecological" approach that includes education, family and community support, and improved access to healthy food and exercise opportunities
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As I know for extreme cases, circulation of limbs is affected, potentially requiring amputation. Loss of hearing, eyesight, and cognitive ability has also been linked to this condition.
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