Diabetic risk taking: The role of information, education and medication

Diet adherence is a key determinant in minimizing the risk of diabetic heal th complications. Diabetics who ignore their doctor's advice, concerning di et, smoking and exercise, are taking a gamble. Food product innovation, imp roved understanding about the benefits of tight diabetic compliance, and in creased information dissemination all provide incentives for diabetics to m odify their behavior. This paper uses repeated cross-sections of the NHANES from 1971-1994 to document that diabetics are making better choices over t ime relative to earlier cohorts and relative to non-diabetics. They smoke l ess than their non-diabetic counterparts. Their consumption of cholesterol has fallen sharply and they are reducing their alcohol and sweets consumpti on. New medications have played an important role in improving diabetic qua lity of life. This paper studies whether access to improved diabetic medici ne has created offsetting incentives such that diet compliance falls. I fin d little evidence that the more medicated display worse health habits.