More than 100 million U.S. adults have diabetes or prediabetes, according to a new report released July 18 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The report finds that as of 2015, 30.3 million Americans – 9.4% of the U.S. population –have diabetes. Another 84.1 million have prediabetes, a condition that if not treated often leads to type 2 diabetes within five years.
The report confirms that the rate of new diabetes diagnoses remains steady. However, the disease continues to represent a growing health problem: Diabetes was the seventh leading cause of death in the U.S. in 2015. The report also includes county-level data for the first time, and shows that some areas of the country bear a heavier diabetes burden than others.
“Although these findings reveal some progress in diabetes management and prevention, there are still too many Americans with diabetes and prediabetes,” said CDC Director Brenda Fitzgerald, M.D. “More than a third of U.S. adults have prediabetes, and the majority don’t know it. Now, more than ever, we must step up our efforts to reduce the burden of this serious disease.”
Diabetes is a serious disease that can often be managed through physical activity, diet, and the
The National Diabetes Statistics Report, released approximately every two years, provides information on diabetes prevalence and incidence, prediabetes, risk factors for complications, acute and long-term complications, mortality, and costs in the U.S.
Key findings from the National Diabetes Statistics Report
The report finds that:
- In 2015, an estimated 1.5 million new cases of diabetes were diagnosed among people ages 18 and older.
- Nearly 1 in 4 four adults living with diabetes – 7.2 million Americans – didn’t know they had the condition. Only 11.6 percent of adults with prediabetes knew they had it.
- Rates of diagnosed diabetes increased with age. Among adults ages 18-44, 4% had diabetes. Among those ages 45-64 years, 17% had diabetes. And among those ages 65 years and older, 25% had diabetes.
Rates of diagnosed diabetes were higher among American Indians/Alaska Natives (15.1%), non-Hispanic blacks (12.7%), and Hispanics (12.1%), compared to Asians (8%) and non-Hispanic whites (7.4%).
Other differences include:
- Diabetes prevalence varied significantly by education. Among U.S. adults with less than a high school education, 12.6% had diabetes. Among those with a high school education, 9.5% had diabetes; and among those with more than a high school education, 7.2% had diabetes.
- More men (36.6%) had prediabetes than women (29.3%). Rates were similar among women and men across racial/ethnic groups or educational levels.
- The southern and Appalachian areas of the United States had the highest rates of diagnosed diabetes and of new diabetes cases.
“Consistent with previous trends, our research shows that diabetes cases are still increasing, although not as quickly as in previous years,” said Ann Albright, PhD, RD, director of CDC’s Division of Diabetes Translation. “Diabetes is a contributing factor to so many other serious health conditions. By addressing diabetes, we limit other health problems such as heart disease, stroke, nerve and kidney diseases, and vision loss.”