Diabetes statistics reveal a worrying increase in the number of people diagnosed with the disease. An even more frightening fact is that more than half of people with diabetes are undiagnosed.

Diabetes can cause various health complications, ranging from eye problems to kidney failure. Without proper management and regular check-ups, it can even lead to stroke, heart attack, or amputation.

We’ve compiled the most critical data to arm you with the knowledge needed to recognize and prevent diabetes or help you manage it properly and improve your quality of life.

General Diabetes Statistics Worldwide

1. 536.6 million adults globally live with diabetes.

(Diabetes Atlas)

According to the latest IDF Diabetes Atlas report, 1 in 10 adults live with diabetes. However, the most worrying fact is that nearly half (44.7%) are undiagnosed. Additionally, projections are that the number of diagnosed diabetes cases will continue growing rapidly, reaching 642.8 million by 2030 and 783.7 million by 2045.

2. Diabetic prevalence is 20% for the 65–69 age group.

(PubMed)

The prevalence of diabetes varies in different age groups. However, it’s generally higher within the older population. The prevalence is the highest for people aged 65–69 (20%) and 55–59 (15%). Furthermore, 10% of people living with diabetes are in the 45–49 age group, and 5% are 35–39 years old.

3. 352.1 million people globally have prediabetes.

(PubMed, Cleveland Clinic)

As per prediabetes statistics, this figure is predicted to reach 531.6 million by 2045. Moreover, people with prediabetes have a 50% chance of developing diabetes in the next 5–10 years.

4. 319 million people globally are affected by impaired fasting glucose.

(Diabetes Atlas)

Diabetes stats show that this rate is projected to reach 369.7 million by 2030 and 440.8 million by 2045. Moreover, IFG is a sign of insulin resistance. It’s a type of prediabetes in which the blood sugar levels are above the normal range when fasting but still below the range needed for a formal diabetes diagnosis.

5. In Africa, 1 in 22 adults is living with diabetes.

(Diabetes Atlas)

The latest diabetes facts reveal that 24 million African adults are diagnosed with diabetes. That said, Africa is also the continent with the most significant proportion of people with undiagnosed diabetes (54%). Furthermore, Africa will see a 129% increase in diabetes cases, reaching 55 million by 2045.

6. 61 million adults living in Europe are diagnosed with diabetes.

(Diabetes Atlas, WHO)

This means that 1 in 11 adults lives with diabetes. Furthermore, the disease affects approximately 10.3% of men and 9.6% of women. The diabetes prevalence in Europe has dramatically risen in the past few years due to the increase in obesity, physical inactivity, and unhealthy diets. Moreover, projections are that the number of people with diabetes will jump to 67 million by 2030.

7. With 15.3%, Germany has the highest prevalence of diabetes in Europe.

(Statista)

Furthermore, diabetes rates by country reveal that Portugal has the second-highest percentage with 14.2%, followed by Malta with 12.2%. On the other hand, Ireland is at the bottom with a prevalence of only 4.4%.

8. One in 11 adults in South-East Asia is living with diabetes.

(Diabetes Atlas)

South-East Asia counts more than 90 million adults with diabetes. The number is projected to reach 113 million by 2030 and 151.5 million by 2045. These diabetes rates indicate that over 16.8% of people with diabetes live in the SEA region.

9. China has the highest number of people with diabetes globally—140.8 million.

(Diabetes Atlas)

Following China is India with 74 million, Pakistan with 32.9 million, and the US with 32 million. Furthermore, high type 1 and type 2 diabetes rates by country are also observed in Indonesia (19 million), Brazil (15.7 million), and Japan (11 million).

10. With 11.9%, the Western-Pacific region has the third-highest prevalence of diabetes worldwide.

(Diabetes Atlas)

Diabetes affects 205.6 million adults in the WP region, and it’s projected to increase by 27%, reaching 260 million by 2045. Currently, the WP region accounts for nearly 40% of the total number of adults with diabetes. Finally, the prevalence of diabetes in the WP region threatens to reach 14.4% by 2045.

US Diabetes Statistics

11. More than 32 million people in the US live with diabetes.

(Diabetes Atlas)

In other words, diabetes affects 10.7% of the US population. The number is expected to rise to 34.7 million by 2030 and 36.2 million by 2045.

12. 88 million US adults have prediabetes.

(CDC)

United States diabetes statistics show that they live with higher-than-normal blood sugar levels that aren’t high enough to be diagnosed with diabetes.

An even more worrying fact is that 84% of those with prediabetes go undiagnosed. This puts them at an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes but also heart disease. 

13. With 15.7%, West Virginia is the US state with the highest rate of diabetes.

(State of Childhood Obesity)

According to diabetes rate by state, West Virginia leads the list. Following are Alabama (15%), Mississippi (14.6%), Tennessee (14.2%), and Arkansas (13.2%). On the other hand, Colorado has the lowest rates of diabetes (7.5%). Alaska comes in second (7.9%), followed by Montana (9.1%), Wyoming (8.3%), and Utah (8.0%).

14. 14.7% of people with diabetes are American Indians/Alaska Natives.

(CDC)

Diabetes rates by race indicate clear variations between racial and ethnic groups. The American Indian/Alaska Native population has the highest rate of people diagnosed with diabetes—14.7%. Next come Hispanics (12.5%), Non-Hispanic Blacks (11.7%), Asian Americans (9.2%), and Non-Hispanic Whites (7.5%).

15. Approximately 11.7 million people with diabetes fall within the 45–64 age range.

(CDC)

Diabetes rates in America also show that 11.5 million people with diabetes are older than 65, whereas 3.6 million are aged 18–24. In addition, out of the total number of Americans with undiagnosed diabetes, 3.1 million are 45–64 years old, 2.9 million are 65, and 1.4 million are 18–44.

16. The prevalence of type 2 diabetes among children and teenagers increased by 95% in 16 years.

(JAMA Network, Very Well Health)

A nationwide study analyzing health records of 3.5 million children younger than 19 showed that the diabetes rate had been rapidly increasing. The prevalence of type 1 diabetes increased by 45% over the said period. Moreover, the prevalence of type 2 diabetes grew by a whopping 95%.

This unsettling data indicates the importance of prevention or early intervention to alleviate the impact of diabetes. As a result, experts now advise people to do diabetes screening at 35 instead of 40, as earlier recommended in the 2015 US Preventive Services Task Force guidelines.

17. At 11%, the prevalence of diabetes in the US is higher in men than in women (9.5%).

(CDC)

Men are more likely than women to be diagnosed with diabetes. Similarly, the prevalence of undiagnosed cases is also higher in men—3.1% vs. 2.5%. However, some research implies that women with diabetes are more likely to develop diabetes-related complications than men.

18. The percentage of Americans with diabetes is the highest among those older than 65—26.8%.

(CDC)

The percentage of adults with diabetes increases with age. The CDC survey suggests that 26.8% of Americans aged 65 or older are diagnosed with diabetes. Furthermore, 17.5% are between 45 and 64 years old, whereas the 18–44 age group accounts for 4.2% of diabetes cases.

Type 1 Diabetes Facts and Stats

19. 1.6 million Americans are diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.

(ADA)

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune attack on pancreas cells. It prevents them from creating insulin, so people with this disease need to take insulin shots daily. Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed at an early age, but it can manifest in adults as well. Approximately 5.2% of Americans are diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, including approximately 187,000 children and adolescents.

20. The type 1 diabetes percentage is 9.5% worldwide.

(NCBI)

Additionally, numbers indicate that diabetes type 1 incidence is 15 per 100,000 people. According to results from multiple studies, these numbers are increasing worldwide.

21. In the US, 5–10% of people with diabetes are diagnosed with type 1.

(CDC, Endocrine Web)

The number of type 1 diabetics in the US is significantly lower than those diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. The risk is highest for white people younger than 20 who have a parent or sibling with type 1 diabetes. In fact, having a first-degree relative with a type 1 diagnosis increases the chances for children to have it by 12%.

22. According to type 1 diabetes statistics, 18,000 young people are diagnosed with type 1 diabetes each year.

(PubMed)

Type 1 diabetes is often referred to as juvenile diabetes since it’s often detected in young people and children. Generally, type 1 diabetes is diagnosed before the age of 40. However, most diagnoses are established in children aged 4–14.

Type 2 Diabetes Statistics

23. 90–95% of all diabetes cases in the US are type 2.

(CDC)

Type 2 is the more common diabetes type in the US, accounting for up to 95% of all cases. This type of diabetes causes glucose in the blood to become too high, which results in symptoms like tiredness, excessive thirst, blurry vision, and fatigue, to name a few.

24. Type 2 diabetes facts indicate that 50% of women with gestational diabetes will develop T2D later.

(CDC)

Gestational diabetes is the type that develops during pregnancy. Every year, 2–10% of pregnant women in the US are diagnosed with gestational diabetes. Although the blood sugar usually returns to normal after giving birth, more than half of women with gestational diabetes will develop type 2 diabetes later in their lives.

25. Type 2 diabetes affects 6.28% of the global population.

(PubMed)

Type 2 diabetes statistics worldwide reveal that, out of those, 4.4% are between 15 and 49 years old, whereas 15% are aged 50–69. Moreover, the 70+ age group accounts for 22% of the total type 2 diabetes cases. Additionally, the prevalence rate is 6,059 per 100,000 people and is projected to increase to 7,079 per 100,000 individuals by 2030.

26. One study discovered that 86% of type 2 diabetes patients are overweight.

(NCBI)

Carrying extra weight increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Furthermore, obesity and type 2 diabetes statistics show that 52% of patients with type 2 diabetes are obese, and 8.1% have morbid obesity.

27. Losing 5–7% of the body weight can decrease the chances of developing type 2 diabetes by 58%.

(CDC)

This number is even more significant for older people. According to the same study, weight loss can decrease the risk of diabetes by 71%.

28. 5,758 children and teens are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes each year.

(CDC)

Child type 2 diabetes statistics based on the CDC report revealed that the number of cases among children and teens younger than 19 is rising. In addition, the number of newly diagnosed cases increased by 8.5% among Asian non-Hispanic and Pacific Islanders and 6.3% among non-Hispanic white youths.

Statistics About Diabetes Costs and Expenditures

29. The US spends over $379 billion on diabetes care.

(Diabetes Atlas)

The most significant expenditure components include patient care at the hospital, prescribed medication, anti-diabetic agents and diabetes supplies, and visits to the physician’s office. In addition, the costs are predicted to rise, reaching $388.9 billion by 2030 and $392.5 billion by 2045.

30. The estimated health expenditure of a person with diabetes in the US is $11,779.

(Diabetes Atlas)

Stats on diabetes also predict that the cost will increase to $12,073 by 2030. On average, the cost of medical expenditures of people with diabetes is approximately twice as high as those without diabetes.

31. The North America and Caribbean region spend $414.5 billion on health care for people with diabetes.

(Diabetes Atlas)

Furthermore, statistics about diabetes and related expenditures point out that Europe is the second-highest ranked region with $189.3 billion. On the other hand, health expenses are lowest in Africa and South-East Asia, with $12.6 million and $10 million, respectively.

32. Government insurance covers 67.3% of diabetes care costs.

(ADA)

These costs include Medicare, Medicaid, and military insurance. That said, diabetes statistics indicate that private insurance covers about a third of the diabetes-related medical expenses, while uninsured people cover about 2%.

Additionally, people without health insurance are 60% less likely to visit a physician’s office and 52% less likely to be prescribed medication than patients with insurance coverage. At the same time, they have 168% more ER visits.

33. Non-Hispanic Blacks have $10,470 per-capita diabetes-related health care expenditures.

(ADA)

The latest available stats of diabetes expenses per capita indicate that non-Hispanic Whites spend $9,800. Furthermore, the hospital inpatient costs per capita are 23% higher among non-Hispanic Blacks than non-Hispanic Whites. Finally, per-capita expenditures are higher among men ($10,060) than women ($9,110).

Risk Factors and Diabetes Mortality Rates

34. Globally, diabetes causes 1.5 million deaths.

(WHO)

WHO numbers show that diabetes was the ninth leading cause of death. The disease was listed among the top 10 causes of death after experiencing a significant surge of 70% since 2000. Moreover, diabetes accounts for a substantial rise in male deaths, noting an 80% increase in the past two decades.

35. Up to 50% of patients with coronary artery disease have overt diabetes.

(PubMed)

Diabetes and heart disease statistics highlight a correlation between these two conditions. For example, up to 75% of coronary artery disease patients have diabetes or abnormal glucose regulation. More specifically, approximately 20% are undiagnosed, and 25% have defined prediabetes.

36. In the United States, diabetes accounts for 87,647 deaths annually.

(America’s Health Rankings)

According to the most recent numbers, the diabetes death rate is 10.6%. Therefore, the total number of deaths per 100,000 is estimated at 26.7. Currently, diabetes is the seventh-leading cause of death in the US. Additionally, it contributes to deaths from stroke and heart disease. 

37. Every day, 230 people with diabetes in the US suffer an amputation.

(AJMC)

One in three people with diabetes older than 50 has a peripheral arterial disease—a condition where atherosclerosis affects the limb. Diabetes amputations statistics reveal that about 85% of these amputations result from a diabetic foot ulcer. Furthermore, African Americans are four times more likely to suffer amputation related to diabetes than Whites.

38. Up to 14.4% of hospitalized COVID-19 patients also have diabetes.

(Diabetes Obesity and Metabolism)

Diabetic rates show that patients hospitalized with severe symptoms of coronavirus also developed diabetes. Additional research is still needed to determine whether this occurrence is directly affected by the coronavirus or is caused by COVID-19 treatments.

39. The prevalence of gestational diabetes in the US is 20.1%.

(Diabetes Atlas)

According to Diabetes Atlas, 5.4 million live births have been affected by hyperglycemia in pregnancy. In fact, the most common form of HIP is gestational diabetes. As gestational diabetes facts pinpoint, the prevalence of GDM in the US is 20.1%.

Gestational diabetes is usually diagnosed between the 24th and 28th week. During pregnancy, high blood glucose levels can cause problems for your babies, such as large weight, breathing problems, and premature birth.

40. People with type 2 diabetes are 15% more likely to die prematurely.

(WebMD)

In addition, the type 2 diabetes death rate is higher in people younger than 65, those with kidney damage caused by diabetes type 2, and people with diabetes who fail to control their blood sugar levels adequately.

41. People with diabetes are 20% more likely to be diagnosed with anxiety.

(CDC)

Many researchers have found a connection between diabetes and anxiety. For example, a study pinpoints that in any 18 months, up to 50% of people suffer from diabetic distress that stems from feeling worried, discouraged, or tired of dealing with diabetes care.

Diabetes Statistics: The Takeaway

The latest stats confirm that diabetes is a global issue. The disease can lead to serious health problems, many of which are severe, while some are life-threatening. In fact, diabetes is the seventh top cause of death in the US and ninth worldwide.

Even though some risk factors of developing diabetes can’t be changed, making specific lifestyle changes—like working out regularly, maintaining a healthy weight, and eating right—can significantly decrease the chances of developing it.

Frequently Asked Questions

What percentage of the population has diabetes?

The number of patients diagnosed with diabetes is growing on a global scale. In fact, 1 in 10 adults live with diabetes, totaling 537 million people. These numbers indicate that more than 15% of the world’s population suffers from this chronic disease. According to future predictions, the number of diagnosed diabetics will reach 643 million by 2030 and a whopping 784 million by 2045.

What population is most affected by diabetes?

According to the CDC survey, the American Indians/Alaska Natives are the most affected by diabetes. In fact, the prevalence of diagnosed diabetes cases among this population is 14.7%. For comparison, the prevalence of diabetes is 11.7% among Non-Hispanic Blacks, 9.2% among Non-Hispanic Asians, and 7.5% among Non-Hispanic Whites. Considering populations by age, the prevalence is highest in adults aged 65 years or more—26.8%.

What is the mortality rate of diabetes?

Diabetes is considered the ninth leading cause of death globally and seventh in the US. This chronic disease accounts for approximately 1.5 million deaths annually, and 87,647 deaths occur in the US. Additionally, diabetes is one of the top causes of premature deaths—nearly half of all deaths caused by diabetes occur before the age of 70.

How many people in the US have diabetes?

Diabetes has been increasing at a rapid pace in the United States. According to the latest survey by Diabetes Atlas, 32 million of the US population has diabetes. This means that the condition affects 10.7% of the US population. Furthermore, the number of diabetes cases is expected to continue to rise. By 2030, it’s estimated to reach 34 million, and by 2045, the total number of cases will amount to 36 million.

What percentage of diabetes patients have type 2?

Type 2 diabetes is a condition in which the body can’t correctly regulate and use glucose. As a result, there’s too much sugar circulating in the blood, which can cause numerous health issues. Known as adult-onset diabetes, type 2 diabetes is widespread and affects 90–95% of the global population. T2D can also develop in younger people, especially if they are obese.

What percentage of people with diabetes have type 1?

Type 1 diabetes is a condition in which the pancreas doesn’t produce or produces little insulin. This type of diabetes is also known as juvenile or insulin-dependent diabetes. Even though it usually develops in children and teenagers, it might develop in adults, too. Type 1 diabetes is less common and affects only 5–10% of diabetic people worldwide. In the US, the prevalence of T1D is 9.5%, as per the latest diabetes statistics.

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