Global diabetes cases surpass 800 million, majority left untreated, study reveals
A recent study has revealed that over 800 million adults worldwide have diabetes, nearly double previous estimates.
In 2022, around 828 million adults aged 18 and older were reported to have type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Disturbingly, more than half (59%) of those aged over 30 with diabetes are not receiving treatment, leaving them vulnerable to severe complications.
Historically, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated 422 million global cases, but the study shows that diabetes rates have doubled since 1990, rising from 7% to 14%, largely driven by increasing cases in low- and middle-income countries.
Yet, while cases have soared in these regions, treatment rates have remained stagnant. For instance, in sub-Saharan Africa, only 5-10% of people with diabetes receive treatment, says Jean Claude Mbanya, a professor at the University of Yaounde in Cameroon. He notes that treatment can be costly, further straining healthcare systems in these areas.
Conducted by the NCD Risk Factor Collaboration and WHO, the study is the first comprehensive global analysis of diabetes prevalence and treatment.
It used more than 1,000 studies involving 140 million people, relying on both fasting plasma glucose levels and glycated hemoglobin measurements to avoid underestimating cases, especially in regions like South Asia.
While the study did not distinguish between type 1 and type 2 diabetes, prior evidence indicates that type 2, often associated with obesity and poor diet, is the predominant type among adults.
According to the WHO, Type 1 diabetes cannot currently be prevented. Effective approaches are available to prevent type 2 diabetes and to prevent the complications and premature death that can result from all types of diabetes.
“These include policies and practices across whole populations and within specific settings (school, home, workplace) that contribute to good health for everyone, regardless of whether they have diabetes, such as exercising regularly, eating healthily, avoiding smoking, and controlling blood pressure and lipids,” says WHO.
