Tom Hanks revealed on the Late Show with David Letterman that he's been diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. INSIDE EDITION has the details.
A medical shocker for Tom Hanks—he has diabetes.
He made the revelation to David Letterman on the Late Show saying, "I went to the doctor's, and he said, 'You know those high blood sugar numbers you've been living with since you were 36? Well, you've graduated. You've got Type 2 diabetes young man.'"
Some say that the beloved actor's fluctuating weight for movie roles over the years played a part in causing the disease.
Hanks gained 50 pounds for the early scenes in Cast Away, then lost it all again for the scenes when he was stranded on an island.
He also lost nearly 40 pounds for his Oscar-winning role as a lawyer dying of AIDS in Philadelphia.
But ABC news Chief Health and Medical Editor Dr. Richard Besser was skeptical, telling INSIDE EDITION, "I don't think that losing weight and gaining weight for film roles would have caused this. Some people are predisposed to develop Type 2 diabetes."
Watch Dr. Besser Discuss Type 2 Diabetes
So, what is the doctor's advice?
"Twenty-five million Americans have Type 2 diabetes. The thing to know about that is, a lot of it can be prevented, delayed, or reversed with changes in diet and exercise," said Besser.
Several other high-profile personalities are coping with Type 2 diabetes, including new mom Halle Berry, Price Is Right host Drew Carey, and controversial TV cook Paula Deen.
Hanks even managed to joke about his recently diagnosed health problem.
"My doctor said, 'Look, if you can weigh as much as you weighed in high school, you will essentially be really healthy and you will not have Type 2 diabetes.'"
"And I said, 'Well, I'm going to have Type 2 diabetes because there is no way I can weigh as much as I did in high school.'"
"How much did you weigh in high school?" asked Letterman.
"I weighed 96 pounds in high shool," said Hanks.
