How many people in the United States have diabetes?

As of 2010, 25.8 million people—8.3% of the population—have diabetes; 1.9 million new cases of diabetes were diagnosed in people aged 20 years or older in 2010.

For more statistics, see CDC's National Diabetes Fact Sheet, 2011.

 

How are different age groups affected by diabetes?

Among Americans aged 20 years or younger, about one-quarter of 1% (215,000 people) have diabetes.

Among Americans aged 20 years or older, 11.3% (25.6 million people) have diabetes.

The prevalence of diabetes is greater among older people. Among Americans aged 65 years or older, 26.9% (10.9 million people) have diabetes.

For more statistics, see CDC's National Diabetes Fact Sheet, 2011.

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Where can I find national and state statistics on diabetes?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides several resources for data on Americans with diabetes.

The CDC’s National Diabetes Surveillance System provides national statistics, in charts and data tables, on prevalence, incidence, and duration of diabetes; occurrence of  complications such as cardiovascular disease, lower extremity conditions, end-stage renal disease, and visual impairment among people with diabetes; as well as health status and disability, preventive care practices, hospitalization, insulin and oral medication use, and risk factors for complications among people with diabetes.

The Diabetes Surveillance System also provides state data on the prevalence of diabetes, preventive care practices, incidence of end stage renal disease, health status, and disability of people with diabetes. You can also contact the state-based Diabetes Prevention and Control Programs for further state information.

CDC’s FastStats on Diabetes provides national data on morbidity, mortality, and health care use      including ambulatory, hospital inpatient, home health, and nursing home care.

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Where can I learn more about what states are doing to address diabetes?

Program and contact information for each state-based Diabetes Prevention and Control Program is available on this Web site. The CDC provides resources and technical assistance to these programs, which operated in all U.S. states and many territories.

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What is the economic cost of diabetes in the United States?

The estimated economic cost of diabetes in 2007 was $174 billion. Of this amount, $116 billion was due to direct medical costs and $58 billion due to indirect costs such as lost workdays, restricted activity, and disability due to diabetes. People with diagnosed diabetes incur average expenditures of $11,744 per year, of which $6,649 is attributed to diabetes. People with diagnosed diabetes, on average, have medical expenditures that are approximately 2.3 times higher than what expenditures would be in the absence of diabetes. Approximately $1 of  $5 health care dollars in the United States is spent caring for someone with diagnosed diabetes, while approximately $1 of $10 health care dollars is attributed to diabetes.

For more information on the expense of diabetes, see:

• Studies on the Cost of Diabetes, a CDC publication
• The Economics of Diabetes Mellitus: An Annotated Bibliography, a CDC publication
• Economic Impact of Diabetes [PDF–72 KB] , a chapter from Diabetes in America, published by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
• Economic Costs of Diabetes in the United States, a professional journal article from the American Diabetes Association

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What are some research studies that have provided important evidence about diabetes treatment and prevention?

The 10-year Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (DCCT) showed that keeping blood glucose levels close to normal helps prevent type 1 diabetes-related complications. Among the 1,441 people participants, all of whom had type 1 diabetes, those who kept their hemoglobin A1C as close to normal as possible had considerably lower incidence of diabetic eye, kidney, and nerve complications. A follow-up study showed that, 8 years after the trial ended, participants who were continuing to maintain intensive blood glucose control continued to have lower rates of complications.

For more information, see the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (DCCT) fact sheet from the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse.

The Diabetes Prevention Trial -Type 1 (DPT-1) researched two methods to delay or prevent type 1 diabetes. Nine medical centers and more than 350 U.S. and Canadian clinics took part in the DPT-1. One DPT-1 trial tested whether low-dose insulin injections could prevent or delay the development of type 1 diabetes in people at high risk for developing type 1 diabetes within 5 years. The other tested whether oral insulin would prevent type 1 diabetes in people with a moderate risk for developing diabetes. However, neither trial was successful at preventing or delaying type 1 diabetes.

The Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) was a federally funded study of more than 3,000 people at high risk for diabetes. The DPP showed that a 5 to 7 percent weight loss from exercise and decreased dietary fat and calories can delay and possibly prevent type 2 diabetes.

Building on this research, CDC’s National Diabetes Prevention Program supports establishing a network of community-based, group lifestyle intervention programs for overweight or obese people at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes. As of early 2011, it was anticipated that 33 U.S. sites will offer group lifestyle interventions in 2011, with plans to expand to other communities.

For more information, see

• The CDC Statement on the Results of the Diabetes Prevention Program
• The Diabetes Prevention Program fact sheet from the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse.
• National Diabetes Prevention Program
  http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/prevention/index.htm

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Where can I learn more about current clinical trials for diabetes research?

ClinicalTrials.gov provides regularly updated information about federally and privately supported clinical research in human volunteers. ClinicalTrials.gov gives you information about a trial's purpose, who may participate, locations, and telephone numbers for more details.

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What are some recent improvements in diabetes care?

Technology has given new solutions to diabetes care. Quick-acting and long-acting insulins provide more options for managing insulin-dependent diabetes. A wider range of oral drugs are available to treat type 2 diabetes. New monitors make it easier and more comfortable for people to test and track their blood glucose. External insulin pumps can replace the discomfort of daily injections. Laser surgery can treat diabetic eye disease and prevent blindness. Successful kidney and pancreas transplantation procedures bring hope to people with organ failure.

In addition, we have learned more about how to manage diabetes and prevent complications through weight reduction, blood glucose control, and exercise. We have more successful methods of managing diabetes during pregnancy. We have also identified lifestyle changes that can help prevent diabetes.

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What is islet transplantation?

Islet transplantation is a procedure which researchers hope will allow people with type 1 diabetes to manufacture their own insulin and avoid daily injections. Cell clusters called islets, which contain the cells that produce insulin, are transplanted from a donor pancreas into the pancreas of a person with type 1 diabetes. The goal is to transplant enough islets to produce enough insulin so that injections are no longer necessary. The long-term success and effects of this procedure are still being studied.

For more information, see Pancreatic Islet Transplantation, a fact sheet from the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse.