Diabetes
Diabetes is a disease that occurs when your blood glucose, also called blood sugar, is too high. Over time, having too much glucose in your blood can cause health problems, such as heart disease, nerve damage, eye problems, and kidney disease. You can take steps to prevent diabetes or manage it.
As of 2014, 29.1 million people in the United States, or 9.3 percent of the population, have diabetes. One in four people with diabetes don’t know they have the disease. An estimated 86 million Americans aged 20 years or older have prediabetes.
![Diabetes organ diagram](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20170213233845im_/https://www.niddk.nih.gov/-/media/Images/Diabetes/landing/diabetes.png?h=300&la=en&w=400&hash=884E8312B2B5B56CD9759D716987AA559A18124F)
Many areas of the body can be affected by diabetes. Learn about diabetes health problems.
Featured Topics
Diabetes Basics
Statistics
Diabetes Topics
- A1C Test and Diabetes
- Carbohydrate Counting and Diabetes
- Continuous Glucose Monitoring
- Diabetes and Foot Problems
- Diabetes and Pregnancy
- Diabetes and Sexual and Urologic Problems
- Diabetes Diet, Eating, and Physical Activity
- Diabetes, Gum Disease, and Other Dental Problems
- Diabetes, Heart Disease, and Stroke
- Diabetes in Children and Teens
- Diabetes in Older Adults
- Diabetes Tests and Diagnosis
- Diabetic Eye Disease
- Diabetic Kidney Disease
- Financial Help for Diabetes Care
- Gestational Diabetes
- Insulin, Medicines, and Other Diabetes Treatments
National Diabetes Education Program
For Health Care Professionals
Healthy Moments Radio
Listen to health tips from Dr. Rodgers in his weekly 1-minute episodes.
- Preventing or Delaying Type 2 Diabetes
- The ABC's of Managing Type 2 Diabetes
- Having a Plan to Manage Your Diabetes