In America today we have a Type 2 diabetes epidemic. In America today we have an obesity epidemic. They are directly related, and both epidemics are getting worse. As chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, I intend to do all that I can to address this crisis.

The statistics are staggering. More than 35 million Americans are struggling with Type 2 diabetes – 90% of whom are overweight or obese. Unless we dramatically change course, these numbers will continue to grow exponentially.

Let's be clear: This epidemic is not only endangering the health and well-being of tens of millions of Americans, it is also enormously expensive. According to the American Diabetes Association, the estimated cost of diabetes in the United States was nearly $413 billion last year. That's about 1 in 4 of our health care dollars.

The questions that must be asked are: Why is the number of children in America today who have Type 2 diabetes estimated to skyrocket by nearly 700% over the next four decades? How did it happen that the rate of childhood obesity in America has tripled since the 1970s and has gotten so bad that 1 out of every 5 kids in America and more than 40% of adults are now obese?

The answers to these questions are not complicated.

People with diabetes need more:My son needs insulin to survive. Plans to lower drug costs are welcome, but not enough.

For decades, we........

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