Diabetes Statistics – By Type, Region, Country and Age

Ketaki Joshi

Updated · Mar 22, 2023

Diabetes Statistics – By Type, Region, Country and Age

Introduction

Diabetes Statistics: Diabetes is a major cause of death in the world. There are billions of people diagnosed with this chronic disease. Diabetes is treatable and there’s nothing to be ashamed of! There’s proof that people with diabetes live a long happy and healthy life!

These Diabetes Statistics are written with a collection of insights from worldwide data as well as some useful information.

Editor’s Choice

  • In the year 2022, people who were 65 years and above resulted in 26.4 million prediabetes cases.
  • Around the world, 1 out of 8 adults gets diagnosed with Diabetes.
  • By the year 2045, Diabetes Statistics projections state that the number of diabetes people will be 783 million.
  • The global diabetes care drugs market is expected to reach $103.851 billion by the year 2027 at a CAGR of 8.17%.
  • Leonard Thompson was the first person ever to receive a successful dose of insulin around 101 years, 1 month, and 10 days ago.
  • As of today, around 1.2 million adolescents and children are living with type 1 diabetes.
  • By the year 2045, it is projected that 1 adults in 8 will be diagnosed with diabetes.
  • As of 2021, spending on diabetes contributed around 9% of total worldwide spending on healthcare resulting in $966 billion.
  • 1 in 3 people in Europe resulted in 36% having their diabetes undiagnosed.
  • In Caribbean regions and North America, the average cost of a diabetic patient is $8,208.

What is diabetes?

Diabetes is commonly referred to as chronic mellitus disorder which has a prevalence spread all over the globe. In this disorder the blood sugar level is fluctuated and depending on the type of diabetes, one has to take insulin externally. There are many companies that are providing diabetes care devices such as insulin pumps, mostly used for type 1 diabetes. As Type 1 diabetics (T1D) need to depend on an external source of insulin, such insulin pumps minimize the number of pricks every day. Diabetes has become common in people of any age today. The poor lifestyle is probably the main cause of such detections.

Facts About Diabetes

  • Insulin is a not cure for diabetes but rather it is a therapy to control it.
  • It is a myth that people with only T1D need to take insulin, rather, if a type 2 diabetic has uncontrolled blood sugar level, they are also insulin dependent.
  • Type 1 Diabetes is not hereditary, on the other hand, type 2 diabetes is related to family history.
  • Type 2 Diabetes isn’t always diagnosed in old age.
  • On the other hand, type 1 diabetes isn’t always diagnosed at a young age.
  • Not only do overweight or obese people develop diabetes, but other factors also matter.
  • All types of diabetes are not the same, each requires different therapy.
  • Diabetes is not controlled well, and can lead to complications in the body, affecting kidneys, feet, eyes, heart, etc.…
  • Diabetes patients irrespective of type bear 2.3 times more expenses than those without it.
  • Majority of the diabetic patients are aged between 40 years to 59 years.
  • World Diabetes day is observed every year on the 14th of November.

Types of Diabetes

Type 1 Diabetes: In the case of T1D, the body’s own immune system gets activated to damage the beta cells of the pancreas that produce insulin. Type 1 Diabetes is not curable and is a lifelong chronic condition. The pancreas in such cases is not working at all, therefore there’s a need to inject insulin externally. The frequency of high and low blood sugar is more than in any other diabetes type.

Symptoms

  • Feeling dizzy and excessively thirsty
  • Blurred vision.
  • Frequent headaches.
  • Frequent urination.
  • Unusual weight loss.
  • Mood swings.
  • Feeling less energetic
  • Random skin infections.
  • Cuts on the body that may take time to heal.

Type 2 Diabetes

On the opposite to type 1 Diabetes, type 2 is hereditary,  and detectable in the person with a family history. Children may get diagnosed with diabetes if their mother suffered from gestational diabetes during pregnancy. In T2D, the pancreas is functional but can’t produce enough insulin required to control blood sugar levels.

Symptoms

T2D symptoms are similar to T1D but may vary depending on the person, some of the common signs are:

  • Feeling dizzy and excessively thirsty
  • Blurred vision.
  • Frequent headaches.
  • Frequent urination.
  • Unusual weight loss.
  • Mood swings.
  • Feeling less energetic
  • Random skin infections.
  • Cuts on the body that may take time to heal.

Gestational diabetes

The hormones in the woman’s body which cause it to grow and develop sometimes block the process of insulin production. This condition is referred to as insulin resistance. Therefore, during this period, the requirement for insulin in the body is 2 to 3 times higher than normal. If the body fails to produce the extra demanded insulin during this period, it turns into gestational diabetes. This type of diabetes often disappears after pregnancy.

Pre-Diabetes

In this case, the sugar levels in the body are temporarily high than normal. People who have pre-diabetes are more likely to develop Type 2 in the future. Moreover, they are also at risk of heart and circulation diseases. People who are not physically active, smoke regularly, have high blood pressure, are overweight, and follow unhealthy lifestyles are at risk of diagnosing pre-diabetes.

Causes of Diabetes

  • Unhealthy lifestyle.
  • Excessive and regular consumption of sugary products.
  • Damage to the pancreas such as inability to produce insulin, surgery, or injury.
  • Hormonal imbalances
  • Insulin resistance.
  • Lack of physical activity.
  • Too much stress.
  • Consumption of unhealthy food.
  • Autoimmune diseases.

Treatment for diabetes

  • For type 1 diabetes people, as a therapy, you can use insulin pumps that can be connected to your body. They are easy to use and do not need frequent pricking. Medtronic is one of the best diabetes medical device companies.
  • For type 2 diabetes, consult the doctor for doses of regular pills.
  • Limit or avoid sugary food.
  • Eat leafy vegetables.
  • Exercise regularly.
  • Regulate sleep cycles.
  • Avoid oily or deep-fried food.
  • Maintain weight.

General Diabetes Statistics

  • As of 2022, in the United States of America, around 37.3 million people were reported to have diabetes, which becomes 11.3% of the US population.
  • Furthermore, Diabetes Statistics say that there were 96 million people diagnosed with prediabetes who were above the age of 18 years resulting in 38% of the total US population.
  • In the year 2022, people who were 65 years and above resulted in 26.4 million prediabetes cases.
  • On average people with diabetes, around 77.3% of doing 150 minutes of leisure time physical activity every week.
  • 5% of patients reported having at least one doctor or health care professional for diabetes care.
  • On average, 1 out of 10 adults in the United States of America is diagnosed with diabetes.
  • 1 out of 7 babies is diagnosed with gestational diabetes.
  • According to Diabetes Statistics, every 5 seconds a person dies because of diabetes.
  • By the year 2045, it is projected that 1 adults in 8 will be diagnosed with diabetes.
  • Further projections of Diabetes Statistics state that by the year 2045 diabetes-related health expenses will be more than $1,054 billion.
  • Around the world, 1 out of 8 adults gets diagnosed with Diabetes.
  • 53% of adults in the United States of America are currently diagnosed with diabetes.
  • As of 2021, spending on diabetes contributed around 9% of total worldwide spending on healthcare resulting in $966 billion.
  • As of today, around 1.2 million adolescents and children are living with type 1 diabetes.
  • Around 541 million adults in the world are at risk of diagnosing type 2 diabetes.
  • On average, 3 in 4 people who have diabetes live in low- and middle-income countries.
  • By the year 2045, Diabetes Statistics projections state that the number of diabetes people will be 783 million.
  • Moreover, the projected number of diabetic people is 643 million as of 2030.
  • Leonard Thompson was the first person ever to receive a successful dose of insulin around 101 years, 1 month, and 10 days ago.
  • The global diabetes care drugs market is expected to reach $103.851 billion by the year 2027 at a CAGR of 8.17%.
  • The rate of diabetes is higher in urban areas than in rural areas.
  • People that died from COVID-19 had a prevalence of diabetes resulting in 31.1%.
  • Around 50% of women suffering from polycystic ovary syndrome have diabetes.
  • Diabetes became a reason for blindness cases around the globe resulting in 2.6%.
  • Moreover, diabetes became one of the leading causes of kidney failure.
  • According to Diabetes Statistics, 90% of people diagnosed with type 2 are obese.
  • Adults diagnosed with type 2 recorded that, 15% were smokers and 38% were not physically active.

Top health issues in the United States of America in 2022

(Reference: Statista.com)

  • As of 2022, the top three health issues in the United States of America were COVID-10, mental health problems, and cancer which respectively affected the population in the USA at 47%, 36%, and 34%.
  • According to the Diabetes Statistics, this issue was ranked at number 6 as 16% of people were suffering from it followed by Drug abuse similarly at 16%.
  • Other top health issues in the United States of America in 2022 were: Stress (26%), Obesity (22%), Alcohol abuse and heart disease (13%), Smoking (11%), Dementia (5%), Hospital superbugs and sexually transmitted diseases (STD) (3%) and other issues (2%).

By Region

  • By the year 2045 in Africa, the number of people with undiagnosed diabetes is estimated at 1.5 people out of 2.
  • The African region has the lowest expenditure on diabetes-related material.
  • It has been forecasted by in Central and South America the number of diabetic patients will increase by 48% resulting in 49 million people.
  • As of today, the percentage of people with diabetes is 38% in Western Pacific.
  • In Caribbean regions and North America, the average cost of a diabetic patient is $8,208.

Southeast Asia

  • As of 2021, Southeast Asia has 90 million patients with a 1 in 11 adult rate of diagnosis.
  • It caused around 747,000 deaths.
  • Around 1 out of 2 patients are undiagnosed and recorded spending was $10 billion.

Europe

  • The European region has around 61 million diabetic patients as of 2021, resulting in 1 in 11 people.
  • Around $189 billion were spent on diabetes.
  • As of 2021, 1.1 million deaths were recorded as per Diabetes Statistics.
  • 1 in 3 people in Europe resulted in 36% having their diabetes undiagnosed.

Africa

  • As of 2021, in the African region, 1 out of 8 babies was diagnosed with gestational diabetes.
  • Diabetes caused around 4,16,000 deaths in the year 2021.
  • Around 24 million adults are living with diabetes resulting in 1 in 22 adults in the African region.

South and Central America

  • 1 in 11 adults resulted in 32 million having diabetes as of 2021, out of these 1 in 3 adults is undiagnosed.
  • In the year 2021, around 4,10,000 people faced death due to Diabetes.
  • Spending of 65 billion was observed in the year 2021.

Middle-east and North Africa

  • As of 2021, around 1 in 6 adults resulted in 73 million living with diabetes out of there 1 in 3 adults have their diabetes not diagnosed.
  • Diabetes caused 796,000 deaths in the year 2021.
  • The expected number of diabetics by the year 2045 is 136 million.

North America and the Caribbean

  • The number of deaths due to Diabetes was 9,31,000 as of 2021 and $415 billion was spent on diabetes care.
  • There are 1 in 7 adults with diabetes resulting in 51 million, out of these 1 in 4 adults are undiagnosed.
  • By the year 2030, it is projected that the number of patients will rise to 57 million and it will be 63 million in 2045.

South-East Asia

  • In the year around 747,000 deaths were caused.
  • Around $10 billion were recorded as spending in the year 2021.
  • Around 1 in 11 adults in Southeast Asia are living with diabetes, out of these 1 out of 2 have their diabetes unchecked.
  • The projected number of diabetics as of 2030 is 113 million and it will reach 151 million in the year 2045.

Western Pacific

  • 1 out of 2 adults in the Western Pacific is living with undiagnosed diabetes while 1 in 8 adults resulting in 206 million having diabetes.
  • As of 2021, Western Pacific recorded 2.3 million deaths.
  • $241 billion were spent on diabetes-related expenses.
  • According to Diabetes Statistics, by the year 2030, the projected number of diabetics will be 238 million, and the number is expected to increase to 260 million by the year 2045.

By Country

(Reference: worldpopulationreview.com)

  • As of 2021, according to Diabetes Statistics, Pakistan has the highest rate of diabetic patients resulting in 31% along with 31% undiagnosed people.
  • Kuwait and French Polynesia have similar rates of 25% in diagnosed patients and undiagnosed patients.
  • Other countries on the list of the Highest rate of diabetes as of 2021 are Mauritius: diagnosed (23%), undiagnosed (23%), New Caledonia diagnosed (23%), undiagnosed (23%), the Northern Mariana Islands diagnosed (23%), undiagnosed (23%), Marshal Island diagnosed (23%), undiagnosed (23%), Nauru diagnosed (23%), undiagnosed (23%), Kiribati diagnosed (22%), undiagnosed (22%), and Egypt diagnosed (21%), undiagnosed (21%).

Conclusion

Diabetes being an old friend, can be avoided if followed a healthy lifestyle. Looking at the Diabetes Statistics, we came to know that the rate of patients is increasing year by year. To be honest, there is no fixed cause of diabetes diagnosis, it can happen due to many reasons, but if it is diagnosed, managing it is the most crucial part.

As doctors say, Diabetes is a silent killer, and having unstable blood sugar levels can harm other parts of the body. As of today, there’s no cure for diabetes and even if a pancreas transplant is done, we can’t guarantee a success rate. Therefore, keeping a watch on blood sugar levels on a daily basis using Glucose monitoring machines is important.

  • Statistics
  • FAQ.

    Which are the top companies that provide insulin delivery pumps?

    Medtronic, Omnipod, and Tandem T Slim are the top 3 companies that provide insulin delivery pumps.

    What is the average glucose blood level?

    The maintained blood sugar must be between 90 to 120. The following chart explains different blood sugar levels leading to type 2 diabetes

    (https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/basics/getting-tested.html#:~:text=A%20fasting%20blood%20sugar%20level,higher%20indicates%20you%20have%20diabetes.)

    How to maintain blood sugar levels?

    Keep a track of blood sugar levels at regular intervals using glucose measuring devices. If going on the higher side, take the required insulin, eat healthy food, and do regular exercise.

    Does extremely low or extremely high blood sugar levels lead to a person going into a coma?

    Yes. Such type of cases is commonly found in Type 1 diabetes patients. If a person is found unconscious check his/her blood sugar levels and consult the doctor immediately.

    Ketaki Joshi
    Ketaki Joshi

    By conducting scientific research, I write about illness, health and healthcare. As a professional medical writer, my experience includes creating feature articles for newsletters and websites as well as research news stories for doctors and researchers. Reading has been an integral part of me since childhood - I'm fan of "Friends" and the "Harry Potter series". Before this career, I was employed by a French multinational company. However, my passion for reading led me to pursue writing professionally; my first Amazon-published short story entitled "The envelope that changed our lives" has recently been released. In my free moments, I enjoy long bike rides around town.

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