DIABETES
Diabetes is a disease in which the body does not produce or properly use
insulin. Insulin is a hormone that is needed to convert sugar, starches
and other food into energy needed for daily life. The cause of diabetes
continues to be a mystery, although both genetics and environmental
factors such as obesity and lack of exercise appear to play roles.
In order to determine whether or not a patient has pre-diabetes or diabetes, health care providers conduct a Fasting Plasma Glucose Test (FPG) or an Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT). Either test can be used to diagnose pre-diabetes or diabetes. The American Diabetes Association recommends the FPG because it is easier, faster, and less expensive to perform.
United States
The CDC reports that diabetes affects an estimated 21 million people in the U.S., and more than six million of these people are unaware they have the disease. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) and the American Diabetes Association, those affected include:
- 9.3 million U.S. women (8.7 percent of all women)
- 8.7 million U.S. men (8.7 percent of all men)
- 206,000 people under age 20
- 8.6 million Adults over age 60
- 2.7 million African Americans (11.4 percent of all African Americans)
- 2 million Hispanic/Latino Americans (8.2 percent of all Hispanic/Latino Americans)
- 12.5 million Caucasian Americans (8.2 percent of all Caucasian Americans)
Diabetes is the 6th leading cause of death and the 5th leading cause of death from disease. Diabetes costs the US $92 billion per year in direct medical costs and another $40 billion per year in indirect costs, such as loss of work, disability and loss of life.
The International Diabetes Federation estimates that there are 246 million adults with diabetes. The Western Pacific region and Europe have the highest number of people with diabetes, approximately 67 and 53 million, respectively. The highest prevalence rates are found in North America (9.2 percent) and Europe (8.4 percent). The five countries will the largest numbers of people with diabetes are India, China, the United States, Russia and Germany. The five countries with the highest prevalence rates are Nauru, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Kuwait. The number of people with diabetes is expected to increase alarmingly in the coming decades, rising to 380 million
people in 2025. Developed countries have higher prevalence rates than developing countries, but the latter will be hit the hardest by the diabetes epidemic. Increased urbanization, westernization and economic development in developing countries have already contributed to a substantial rise in diabetes.