Diabetes is one of the leading causes of deaths in the United States and is becoming more prevalent throughout much of the developed world.  Here are some statistics that I think everyone who has diabetes or knows someone with diabetes should read.  As health care costs continue to rise and more people are denied insurance because of a pre-existing condition (such as diabetes) having knowledge and understanding can aid in prevention.

There are two types of diabetes.  Type 1 and Type 2.

Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed in children and young adults, and was previously known as juvenile diabetes. In type 1 diabetes, the body does not produce insulin. Insulin is a hormone that is needed to convert sugar, starches and other food into energy needed for daily life. Only 5-10% of people with diabetes have this form of the disease. 

Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes. Millions of Americans have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, and many more are unaware they are at high risk. Some groups have a higher risk for developing type 2 diabetes than others. Type 2 diabetes is more common in African Americans, Latinos, Native Americans, and Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders, as well as the aged population.

In type 2 diabetes, either the body does not produce enough insulin or the cells ignore the insulin. Insulin is necessary for the body to be able to use glucose for energy. When you eat food, the body breaks down all of the sugars and starches into glucose, which is the basic fuel for the cells in the body. Insulin takes the sugar from the blood into the cells. When glucose builds up in the blood instead of going into cells, it can lead to diabetes complications

Data from the 2007 National Diabetes Fact Sheet (the most recent year for which data is available)

Total: 23.6 million children and adults in the United States—7.8% of the population—have diabetes.

Diagnosed: 17.9 million people

Undiagnosed: 5.7 million people

Pre-diabetes: 57 million people

New Cases: 1.6 million new cases of diabetes are diagnosed in people aged 20 years and older each year.

Race and ethnic differences in prevalence of diagnosed diabetes

After adjusting for population age differences, 2004-2006 national survey data for people diagnosed with diabetes, aged 20 years or older include the following prevalence by race/ethnicity:

• 6.6% of non-Hispanic whites
• 7.5% of Asian Americans
• 11.8% of non-Hispanic blacks
• 10.4% of Hispanics

Deaths

Diabetes was the seventh leading cause of death listed on U.S. death certificates in 2006. This ranking is based on the 72,507 death certificates in 2006 in which diabetes was listed as the underlying cause of death. According to death certificate reports, diabetes contributed to a total of 233,619 deaths in 2005, the latest year for which data on contributing causes of death are available.

Complications

Heart disease and stroke

• In 2004, heart disease was noted on 68% of diabetes-related death certificates among people aged 65 years or older. 
• In 2004, stroke was noted on 16% of diabetes-related death certificates among people aged 65 years or older. 
• Adults with diabetes have heart disease death rates about 2 to 4 times higher than adults without diabetes. 
• The risk for stroke is 2 to 4 times higher among people with diabetes.

High blood pressure

• In 2003–2004, 75% of adults with self-reported diabetes had blood pressure greater than or equal to 130/80 mmHg, or used prescription medications for hypertension.

Blindness

• Diabetes is the leading cause of new cases of blindness among adults aged 20–74 years. 
• Diabetic retinopathy causes 12,000 to 24,000 new cases of blindness each year.

Kidney disease

• Diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure, accounting for 44% of new cases in 2005. 
• In 2005, 46,739 people with diabetes began treatment for end-stage kidney disease in the United States and Puerto Rico. 
• In 2005, a total of 178,689 people with end-stage kidney disease due to diabetes were living on chronic dialysis or with a kidney transplant in the United States and Puerto Rico.

Nervous system disease (Neuropathy)

• About 60% to 70% of people with diabetes have mild to severe forms of nervous system damage.

Amputation

• More than 60% of nontraumatic lower-limb amputations occur in people with diabetes. 
• In 2004, about 71,000 nontraumatic lower-limb amputations were performed in people with diabetes.

Cost of Diabetes

$174 billion: Total costs of diagnosed diabetes in the United States in 2007

• $116 billion for direct medical costs
• $58 billion for indirect costs (disability, work loss, premature mortality)

After adjusting for population age and sex differences, average medical expenditures among people with diagnosed diabetes were 2.3 times higher than what expenditures would be in the absence of diabetes.

The American Diabetes Association has created a Diabetes Cost Calculator that takes the national cost of diabetes data and provides estimates at the state and congressional district level.

Factoring in the additional costs of undiagnosed diabetes, pre-diabetes, and gestational diabetes brings the total cost of diabetes in the United States in 2007 to $218 billion.

• $18 billion for the 6.3 million people with undiagnosed diabetes  
• $25 billion for the 57 million American adults with pre-diabetes  
• $623 million for the 180,000 pregnancies where gestational diabetes is diagnosed

As you can see above, diabetes is a major issue in the United States.  The best medicine in the world is prevention.  If you have a family history of diabetes you should be screened every year.  I cannot stress enough how important a healthy diet and exercise will reduce the chances of becoming a diabetic.

If you are a diabetic you must take total control of your blood glucose.  High blood glucose will lead to all of the complications that are stated above (i.e. heart disease, vascular disease, kidney problems, eye problems, high blood pressure, amputation, etc). 

In my practice I see patients that take control of their blood glucose and continue to live normal lives.  Conversely, I also see patients that do not monitor their blood glucose and they have one health problem after the other.  Commonly these are the people that end up with limb amputations which drastically alters their life.

For more information please visit the American Diabetes Association website at www.diabetes.org

The statistics above are directly from their site and it contains a fountain of information to help you control you blood glucose and it also has information relating the myths commonly associated with diabetes.

Dr. Michael Kelly Bednarz