Statistics Diabetes is estimated to impact approximately 25.8 million people or 8.3 percent of the US population. Of that 18.8 million people are diagnosed whereas 7 million people remain undiagnosed.
Diabetes by Age Group
- 10.9 million or 26.9 percent of US residents aged 65 years and older had diabetes in 2010
- About 1.9 million people aged 20 years or older were newly diagnosed with diabetes in 2010 in the US
- About 215,000 people younger than 20 years had diabetes (type 1 or type 2) in the US in 2010
An estimated 79 million American adults aged 20 years or older are estimated to have pre-diabetes, a condition before diabetes. Pre-diabetes is a condition where your blood glucose levels are higher than normal but aren’t high enough to qualify as diabetes. It is one of the risk factors for type 2 diabetes. Studies have shown that people with pre-diabetes who modify their lifestyle and follow a daily regimen of exercise and maintain a healthy diet, delay the onset or reverse the risk of type 2 diabetes.
According to reports, approximately 18 percent of the pregnancies were affected by gestational diabetes (Gestational diabetes is high blood glucose that starts or is first diagnosed during pregnancy). Immediately after pregnancy, 5 to 10 percent of women with gestational diabetes are found to have diabetes, usually type 2.
The burden of Diabetes Statistics in the US
- Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States. Mortality rates for diabetics are 2 to 4 times greater than non-diabetics of the same age
- Medical expenses are higher in people with diabetes as compared to people without diabetes. The cost of diabetes in the US is estimated to be $174 billion in 2007
- According to the 2007–2009 National Health Interview Survey (US), among adults with diagnosed diabetes (type 1 or type 2), 12 percent take insulin only, 14 percent take both insulin and oral medication, 58 percent take oral medication only, and 16 percent do not take either insulin or oral medication
- Diabetes increases the risk of heart attack and stroke by 2 to 4 folds
- Diabetes is the leading cause of:
- New blindness among adults
- Kidney failure
- Non-traumatic lower-limb amputations
Last Reviewed on: July 26, 2014
Reviewed By: Dr. Kanchan Anand, MD (Nephrology and Internal Medicine)
