Additional facts from the CDC about diabetes in the US:
- More than 37 million people of all ages (about 11% of the population) have diabetes.
- 96 million adults (more than 1 in 3) have prediabetes, blood sugar levels that are higher than normal but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes.
- Nearly 1 in 5 adolescents aged 12 to 18 and 1 in 4 young adults aged 19 to 34 have prediabetes.
- Diabetes complications are increasing for young adults aged 18 to 44 and middle-aged adults aged 45 to 64.
- Diabetes is more common among American Indian or Alaska Native, non-Hispanic Black, Hispanic, and Asian people than non-Hispanic White people.
Keeping diabetes under control through effective disease management can lower the risks of diabetes complications. For example:
- Effective blood sugar management can reduce the risk of eye disease, kidney disease, and nerve disease by 40%.
- Blood pressure management can reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke by 33% to 50%. Improved cholesterol levels can reduce cardiovascular complications by 20% to 50%.
- Regular eye exams and timely treatment could prevent up to 90% of diabetes-related blindness.
- Healthcare services that include regular foot exams and patient education could prevent up to 85% of diabetes-related amputations.
- Detecting and treating early diabetic kidney disease by using kidney protective medicines that lower blood pressure can reduce decline in kidney function by 33% to 37%.