Number of People with Diabetes Continues to Increase

CDC's most recent National Diabetes Fact Sheet provides data on the nationwide prevalence of diabetes, as well as data on special populations and complications. Below are some highlights from the Fact Sheet. To access the entire document, please visit Diabetes Data and Trends.

Of the approximately 24 million with diabetes, 17.9 million have been diagnosed with diabetes, while 5.7 million people remain undiagnosed. Among people with diabetes, however, the number of people who do not know they have it has decreased from 30% to 25%.

In addition to the nearly 24 million with diabetes, another 57 million people are estimated to have prediabetes, a condition that increases the risk for diabetes.

Diabetes and Special Populations

Diabetes increased in both men and women and in all age groups, but still disproportionately affects the elderly. Almost 25% of the population 60 years and older had diabetes in 2007.

As in previous years, disparities exist among ethnic groups and minority populations including Native Americans, blacks and Hispanics. Rates of diagnosed diabetes include:

• Native Americans and Alaska Natives (16.5 %)

• Blacks (11.8 %)

• Hispanics (10.4 %)

Among Hispanics, rates include:

• Puerto Ricans (12.6 %)

• Mexican Americans (11.9 %)

• Cubans (8.2 %)

About 186,300 people younger than 20 years have diabetes (type 1 or type 2). This represents 0.2% of all people in this age group, which has remained constant since similar data was released two years ago.

Complications from Diabetes

• Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death and can lead to permanent disability and debilitation.
People with diabetes can experience numerous debilitating and deadly complications, including heart disease and stroke, blindness, chronic kidney disease, and amputations.

• In 2004, heart disease was noted on 68% of diabetes-related death certificates among people aged 65 years or older. The risk for stroke is 2 to 4 times higher among people with diabetes.

• Diabetes is the leading cause of new cases of blindness among adults aged 20–74 years, with diabetic retinopathy causing 12,000 to 24,000 new cases of blindness each year.

• Diabetes is also the leading cause of kidney failure, accounting for 44% of new cases in 2005.
In addition, people with diabetes account for more than 60% of nontraumatic lower-limb amputations. In 2004, about 71,000 nontraumatic lower-limb amputations were performed in people with diabetes.

Diabetes Management and Control

Diabetes can lead to serious complications and premature death, but people with diabetes can take steps to control the disease and lower the risk of complications, such as: 

• Talk to your health care provider about how to manage your blood glucose (A1C), blood pressure and cholesterol.

• Learn about what constitutes a healthy diet and proper portion sizes.

• Engage in physical activity for 30 – 60 minutes on most days of the week.

• Stay at a healthy weight.

• Check your blood glucose and take medicines the way your doctor tells you to.

• Get routine care. See your health care team at least twice a year to find and treat problems.

For more information, please see:

• Learn About Diabetes

• Prevention

• Staying Healthy with Diabetes

CDC Addresses Diabetes Nationwide

CDC, through its Division of Diabetes Translation, funds diabetes prevention and control programs in all 50 states, as well as the District of Columbia and eight U.S. territories and island jurisdictions. DDT projects such as the SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth study and TRIAD (Translating Research Into Action for Diabetes) seek to provide further insights into the diabetes burden among various populations and address the care received by those with diabetes.

The National Diabetes Education Program, a joint CDC and NIH project, offers a wide range of resources around numerous campaigns. Such campaigns provide the foundation for conducting outreach activities in communities across the country. Each campaign provides a wealth of tools - brochures, tip sheets, provider kits, public service advertising, and more - that can be used to reach out to people with diabetes, people at risk, or health care providers.

For more information, see the National Diabetes Education Program.

Podcasts from the National Diabetes Education Program are also available.