A Canadian study that included the findings from death records of more than nine million adults offers somewhat grim news: a Type 2 diabetic may experience cardiovascular problems 15 years sooner than a non-diabetic.

The results were broken down into expected risks for different genders and age groups. For instance, women with Type 2 diabetes are considered to be a moderate risk for cardiovascular disease by the age of 46, compared to the age of 62 for non-diabetic women. Complete results are here.

While the study is interesting--and improving your cardiovascular health is always recommended--panic is not recommended. After all, these results are from death records, not living diabetics. Perhaps those people did not treat their diabetes properly, or did not follow healthy eating and exercise patterns. With the determination to be healthy, there is no reason to believe you can't live a long, healthy, happy life.

(Photo: Priority Health)