According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) there is a “diabetes belt” in the U.S., ranging across 644 counties in 15 states, in largely rural areas of the Southeast and Midwest, including Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Tennessee. People in this “belt” are more likely to develop diabetes than those in the rest of the U.S. The CDC suggests multiple factors relating to economics, education, culture and resources contribute to the increased risk in rural areas. Read more