According to a 2017 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 100 million Americans are living with diabetes or prediabetes. But the World Health Organization (WHO) says diabetes is more than just an American problem: it’s a global health crisis. Millions of people are diagnosed with the disease every year. Here are some of the figures and statistics on diabetes.

Diabetes

• 3 million Americans have diabetes, or about 10 percent of the population.
• Of those with diabetes, about 30 percent are undiagnosed.
• Approximately 1.5 million new cases of diabetes are diagnosed every year.
• Diabetes is one of the major causes of blindness, kidney failure, heart attacks, stroke, and lower limb amputation.
• Diabetes was the 7^th leading cause of death in the United States in 2015.

Prediabetes

• 1 million Americans have prediabetes, or about one-third of the population.
• Only 10 percent of people with prediabetes are aware they are prediabetic.
• Prediabetes typically turns into type 2 diabetes within 5 years of diagnosis.

Type 1 diabetes

• Type 1 diabetes only accounts for 5 percent of diabetes cases.
• 25 million Americans have type 1 diabetes.
• The average age of diagnosis for type 1 diabetes is age 14.

Type 2 diabetes

• Nearly 7.2 million Americans have type 2 diabetes but are unaware they are diabetic.
• Type 2 diabetes can sometimes be avoided and managed by a lifestyle change, including eating a healthy diet and exercising.
• Type 2 diabetes may be caused by a sedentary lifestyle, genetics, finances, environment, and access to healthcare.

Gestational diabetes

• Gestational diabetes occurs in about 6 to 8 percent of all pregnancies in the U.S.
• Gestational diabetes is usually tested for in the 24^th to 28^th week of pregnancy.
• Blood sugar will probably return to normal after giving birth.
• A history of gestational diabetes increases a woman’s chance of developing type 2 diabetes later on.

Diabetes by race/ethnicity

• In the U.S., the following races and ethnic groups have higher percentages of their population affected by diabetes.
  • Native American/Alaska Natives – 15.1%
  • African Americans – 12.7%
  • Hispanics – 12.1%
  • Asian Americans – 8%
  • Non-Hispanic whites – 7.4%

Diabetes by age

• The older you are, the more likely you are to develop type 2 diabetes.
• 1 million adults 65 and older have prediabetes.
• 4% of adults ages 18-44 have diabetes.
• 17% of adults ages 45-64 have diabetes.
• 25% of adults ages 65 and older have diabetes.

Diabetes by education

• 6% of adults with less than a high school education have diabetes.
• 5% of adults with a high school education have diabetes.
• 2% of adults with more than a high school education have diabetes.

Diabetes by region in the United States

• The Southern and Appalachian regions of the United States have higher diabetes populations than the rest of the nation.
• The following states have the highest diabetes populations:
  • West Virginia – 15%
  • Alabama – 14.6%
  • Mississippi – 13.6%
  • Arkansas – 13.5%
  • Kentucky – 13.1%
  • South Carolina – 13%
  • Tennessee -12.7%
  • Georgia – 12.1%
  • Louisiana – 12.1%
  • Oklahoma – 12%

Diabetes around the globe

• The following countries have a higher diabetes prevalence.

Diabetes and gender

• Men and women are diagnosed with diabetes at nearly the same rate.
• Women are diagnosed with diabetes later than men, even though they may show symptoms earlier.
• Women with diabetes have a higher risk of diabetic complications, like kidney disease, blindness, and depression.
• A woman’s risk of heart disease increases six times when she is diagnosed with diabetes.

Cost of diabetes

• The U.S. spent $327 billion on diabetes care in 2017
• $237 billion was spent on direct diabetes care (like medication and blood sugar testing) in 2017.
• Productivity was reduced by $90 billion in 2017 due to diabetes.
• The cost of diabetes care has risen 26 percent since 2012.