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The prevalence of diabetes could be described as epidemic in the United States and around the world. The increasingly high incidence of diabetes in the United States means that 25.8 million people are now type 2 diabetics, representing 8.3% of the population. Of these, 18.7 million adults have been diagnosed as diabetic and it is estimated that a further 7 million people remain undiagnosed. Many others are unknowingly at risk of the disorder.
| 20 years or older | 25.6m, or 11.3% of all people in this age group |
| 65 years or older | 10.9m, or 26.9% of all people in this age group |
| Men | 13.0m, or 11.8% of all men ages 20 years or older |
| Women | 12.6m, or 10.8% of all women ages 20 years or older |
| Non-Hispanic Whites | 15.7m, or 10.2% of all non-Hispanic whites ages 20 years or older |
| Non-Hispanic Blacks | 4.9m, or 18.7% of all non-Hispanic blacks ages 20 years or older |
Source: National Diabetes Information Clearing House (NIH)
Diabetes is now the seventh leading cause of death in the United States. It is the leading cause of limb amputation, new cases of blindness and kidney failure, with 10-20% of people with diabetes dying of kidney failure. Diabetes is also one of the leading causes of stroke and cardiovascular disease. Around half of diabetics die of heart disease and adults with diabetes are 2 to 4 times more likely to die from heart disease or stroke than adults without diabetes. Every 10 seconds a person dies from complications of diabetes. Diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of blindness among adults of working age in industrialized countries. prevalenceOfDiabetes.com has learned that every year 7 million more people in America develop diabetes. But it is not just the human costs, in 2007 diabetes incurred national medical costs of $174 billion and the prevalence of diabetes in adults was responsible for $58 billion in work loss, disability and premature mortality.
All minorities have a 2-6 times greater prevalence of type 2 diabetes than that of the white population, with the exception of those living in Alaska. African-Americans are approximately twice as likely to suffer from diabetes as whites. 11.8% of Hispanic Americans have diabetes, with the highest incidence of diabetes being among Puerto Ricans at 13.8%, Mexican Americans at 13.3% and Cuban Americans who have a 7.6% prevalence of diabetes.
n the United States about 215,000 people under 20 years of age have diabetes. This prevalence of type 2 diabetes in children represents 0.26% of the child population. If this statistic can be considered as a predictor of future health problems in adult life, it is evident that this is likely to be the first generation of Americans who will die at a younger age than their parents.
NHW=non-Hispanic whites; NHB=non-Hispanic blacks; H=Hispanics/Latinos; API=Asian/Pacific Islander Americans; AI=American Indians,
Source: SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth Study. National Diabetes Statistics, 2011. National Diabetes Information Clearing House (NIH).
There are two types of diabetes - type 1 and type 2 diabetes. As can be seen from the above chart, onset of type 1 diabetes is usually during early childhood before 10 years of age. People with this type of diabetes usually have to take insulin for the rest of their lives. The prevalence of type 1 diabetes is not as high as that for type 2 diabetes. Type II diabetes is primarily a disease of obesity, with risk factors including being overweight, having family members with a history of type 2 diabetes, a history of gestational diabetes, smoking, a diet high in sugars and fats, old age and people with metabolic syndrome.
It is estimated that 12% of adults diagnosed with diabetes take insulin only, 14% take both insulin and oral drugs and 58% take oral drugs only. 16% take neither oral medication nor insulin. The increased prevalence of type 2 diabetes around the world is attributable to poor diet and lack of exercise. Type II diabetics can reverse their disease by adopting lifestyle changes such as healthy eating habits and taking regular exercise.
This pattern is repeated in other countries around the world. The prevalence of diabetes worldwide has more than doubled from 153 million in 1980 to an estimated 347 million people. 9.8% of men and 9.2% of women worldwide now have diabetes. If this trend continues, prevalenceOfDiabetes.com has learned that by 2030 it is estimated there will be 438 million people worldwide who are diabetic, representing 7.8% of the world population. Worldwide, about 1 in 10 men and 1 in 11 women suffer from diabetes. About 3 million people every year die from the complications of diabetes.
The prevalence of diabetes varies according to region, race and familial income. For instance, in the western Pacific the incidence of diabetes is 10.2%, while in Africa it is only 3.8%. Of all areas, North America has the highest rise in diabetes incidence. The United States, New Zealand, Spain and Malta have the highest prevalence of diabetes and France, Austria and the Netherlands have the lowest.
Low and middle-income countries have the highest incidence of diabetes, with around 70% of cases of diabetes occurring in these countries. India has approximately 51 million diabetics, with China following not far behind at 43.2 million. The main age group of diabetics is 40-59 years, although this demographic is expected to change to the 60-79 year age group by 2030.
In developing countries, most of which have inadequate healthcare, only around half of people who are diabetic are likely to be diagnosed as such. Lack of timely diagnosis and treatment inevitably leads to poor prognosis and early death in these countries.
PrevalenceOfDiabetes.com considers that the human, social and economic impact of diabetes cannot be overestimated, putting a strain on healthcare services in many countries around the world.
National Diabetes Statistics, 2011. National Diabetes Information Clearing House. (National Institutes of Health)
http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/statistics/#Diagnosed20
Danaei G et al. National, regional, and global trends in fasting plasma glucose and diabetes prevalence since 1980: systematic analysis of health examination surveys and epidemiological studies with 370 country-years and 2.7 million participants. The Lancet, Early Online Publication, 25 June 2011. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(11)60679-X http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(11)60679-X/abstract
Diabetes Facts. World Diabetes Foundation. http://www.worlddiabetesfoundation.org/composite-35.htm
Diabetes Disparities among racial and ethnic minorities Fact Sheet. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. http://www.ahrq.gov/research/diabdisp.htm
Prevalence of diabetes in the United States. University of Utah website. http://healthcare.utah.edu/utahdiabetescenter/education/diabetesmonth.html