Long-term Trends in Diabetes
Early detection, preventive care, education, and self-management can prevent much of diabetes' burden.
People with diabetes have a shortage of insulin or a decreased ability to use insulin, a hormone that allows glucose (sugar) to enter cells and be converted to energy. When diabetes is not controlled, glucose and fats remain in the blood and, over time, damage vital organs.
Diabetes is the leading cause of new cases of adult blindness, kidney failure, and nontraumatic lower extremity amputation. It can lead to heart disease, stroke, pregnancy complications, and deaths related to flu and pneumonia. Heart disease is the leading cause of diabetes-related deaths, and death rates are about 2–4 times higher for adults with diabetes than for those without the disease.
By working together, people with diabetes, their support network, and their health care providers can reduce the occurrence of these and other diabetes complications by controlling the levels of blood glucose, blood pressure, and blood lipids, and by receiving other preventive care practices in a timely manner. Furthermore, modest weight loss and physical activity can prevent or delay development of type 2 diabetes among adults at high risk.
The trend in diagnosed diabetes in the United States from 1958 through 2006 shows significant increases across time. The prevalence (number of existing disease cases in a defined group of people during a specific time period) of diagnosed diabetes increased from 0.9% in 1958 to 5.9% in 2006. In 2006, 17.3 million people had diagnosed diabetes, compared with only 1.6 million in 1958.
Number and percentage of the U.S. population with diagnosed diabetes were obtained from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS, available at http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis.htm) of the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The NHIS is a health survey of the civilian, noninstitutionalized population of the United States and has been conducted continuously since 1957. The survey provides information on the health of the United States population, including information on the prevalence and incidence of disease, extent of disability, and utilization of health care services. The multistage probability design of the survey has been described elsewhere (1,2). Estimates for years 1958-1979 were obtained from published data (3), and estimates from 1980 forward were derived directly from the NHIS survey data. There were no estimates for the years previous to 1980 because diabetes questions were not included in the survey.
References
- Massey JT, Moore TF, Parsons VL, Tadros W. Design and estimation for the National Health Interview Survey, 1985-1994. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. Vital and Health Statistics 1989;2(110).
- Botman SL, Moore TF, Moriarity CL, Parsons VL. Design and estimation for the National Health Interview Survey, 1995–2004. National Center for Health Statistics. Vital and Health Statistics 2000;2(130).
- Kenny SJ, Aubert RE, Geiss LS. Prevalence and incidence of non-insulin-dependent diabetes. Chapter IV in Diabetes in America. 2nd ed. Washington, DC, Govt. Printing Office, 1995, p. 47-68 (NIH Publication No. 95-1468)
Data Source: CDC Division of Diabetes Translation. National Diabetes Surveillance System. May 2008. Available from: http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/statistics/diabetes_slides.htm.
