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Diabetes is a serious
disease, but its complications can be delayed or
prevented with frequent monitoring, proper nutrition,
exercise and medication. The following statistics
provide an overview of the prevalence of diabetes and
its complications in the United States. Information is
derived from the American Diabetes Association,
National Institutes of Health and the Centers for
Disease Control.
How many
people have diabetes?
- An estimated 18.2
million Americans, about 3 percent of the US
population, have diabetes. About 13 million
Americans have been diagnosed; about 5.2 million
remain undiagnosed.
- Annually, 1.3 million
new cases of diabetes are diagnosed among people
20 years or older in the United States.
- Type 2 diabetes
may account for about 90 to 95 percent of all
diagnosed cases of diabetes.
Diabetes
Risk Factors
Age/Gender
- Your chance of
developing diabetes increases with age. An
estimated 18.3 percent of the U.S. population over
60 years old has diabetes.
- Prevalence by gender is
roughly equal. About 8.7 percent of men and 8.7
percent of women aged 20 or older have diabetes.
Ethnic Heritage
- Diabetes occurs more
frequently in some populations, including African
Americans, Hispanic/Latino Americans, American
Indians and Alaska Natives.
Complications
Complications resulting
from diabetes can be very serious, but can also be
delayed or prevented.
Heart
Disease and Stroke
- Heart disease is the
leading cause of diabetes-related deaths.
- People with diabetes
are 2-4 times as likely to die from heart disease
and strokes as people who don't have diabetes.
High
Blood Pressure
- Over 73 percent of
adults with diabetes have high blood pressure
(greater than or equal to 130/80) or use
prescription medications for hypertension.
Eye
Disease and Blindness
- Diabetes is the leading
cause of new cases of blindness among adults aged
20-74 years.
- Diabetic retinopathy
causes from 12,000 to 24,000 new cases of
blindness each year.
Kidney
Disease
- Diabetes is the leading
cause of end-stage renal disease, accounting for
about 44 percent of new cases.
Nerve
Damage
- About 60-70 percent of
all people with diabetes show evidence of nerve
system damage.
Amputations
- Over 60 percent of
non-traumatic lower-limb amputations in the United
States occur among people with diabetes.
Periodontal
Disease
- Periodontal (gum)
disease is more common among people with diabetes.
Almost 30 percent of people with diabetes have
severe periodontal disease.
Complications
of Pregnancy
- Poorly controlled
diabetes before conception and during the first
trimester of pregnancy can cause major birth
defects in 5-10 percent of pregnancies and
spontaneous abortions in 15-20 percent of
pregnancies.
- Poorly controlled
diabetes during the second and third trimesters of
pregnancy can result in excessively large babies,
which poses a risk to the mother and the child.
Other
Complications
- Uncontrolled diabetes
can lead to life-threatening events, such as
diabetic ketoacidosis and hyperosmolar (nonketotic)
coma.
- People with diabetes
are more susceptible to many other illnesses and
often have a worse prognosis than people without
diabetes once they have acquired an illness. For
example, people with diabetes are more likely to
die from pneumonia or influenza than people who do
not have diabetes.
Prevention of Diabetes
Complications
- Monitoring
blood glucose levels regularly and taking
prescribed medications can reduce the chances of
developing long-term complications.
- Treating high blood
pressure and high cholesterol can reduce the
chances of developing heart disease.
- Preventing obesity can
reduce the incidence of Type 2 diabetes. The best
way to keep lean is to eat healthier and be more
physically active.
- Engaging in exercise is
an effective means to lose weight and minimize the
risk of developing insulin resistance. Before
starting any exercise program, talk to your
healthcare professional.
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