Diabetes Rates Rising to Nearly 1 in 6 in US Adults

By: DLHA Staff Writer

Diabetes is on the rise in the United States

FRIDAY, Nov. 8, 2024: Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder that causes high blood glucose (sugar) levels. The four common types are; type 1 or type 2 diabetes, gestational diabetes, and prediabetes.

When diabetes is undiagnosed or uncontrolled over a long period of time, it can damage multiple organ systems, including the brain and nerves (nervous system), kidneys, eyes, heart, and blood vessels. This is why tracking the commonness of diabetes and its rate of change in any community or society is of public health importance globally.

A report from the US National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) has shed additional and important light on observations that the commonness rate of diabetes (excluding gestational diabetes) is rising in American adults.

Summary of the observations are:

1. A rate increase in total diabetes occurred between 1999 – 2000 compared to 2001 – 2003

The rate of total diabetes (diagnosed and undiagnosed) in Americans adults worsened remarkably from 9.7 % (i.e. nearly 1 in 10) during 1999 - 2000 to 15.8% (i.e. nearly 1 in 6) during August 2001 to August 2003.

Type 2 diabetes formed the majority (95%) of diabetes cases.

2. The rate increase was higher in men compared to women.

Total diabetes rate was 18% in men (i.e. nearly 1 in 5 men) compared to about 14% (i.e. nearly 1 in 7 women).

3. The rate increase worsened with age

The total diabetes rate increased from 3.6% in adults ages 20–39 to 17.7% for ages 40–59 and 27.3% for age 60 and older.

4. The rate increase worsened with increasing weight

The total diabetes rate increased from 6.8% in adults in the underweight or normal weight category to 12.3% in those in the overweight category and 24.2% in adults with obesity.

5. The rate decreased with improved educational status

The total diabetes rate was nearly 20% in adults with high school education only compared to 10.7% of adults with bachelor’s degree

6. The rate of undiagnosed diabetes is significant

Nearly 1 in 20 (4.7%) American adults have diabetes and do not know it (i.e., are undiagnosed)

What does the observations mean to you as an African?

The rapid rise in city living among Africans impacts negatively on the lifestyle of city dwellers. Therefore, African city dwellers need to be more mindful that they may be at increased risk of type 2 diabetes especially. Those in the rural areas are not necessarily exempt from the risk.

The challenges of access to basic healthcare in most African countries mean that a higher number of Africans with diabetes compared to their American counterparts may not even know that they have disease.

There is every possibility that the pattern of rise in diabetes described in American adults, may be the same, if not worse in African populations. Only broad, multi-country, and collaborative population based studies across African countries can establish the factual pattern of diabetes in the continent. Such studies would inform public health policy needed to tackle the menace of the disease.

For the individual African, it is recommended that you make diabetes screening a component of your routine and regular medical checkup. This would help you to identify diabetes early (if present) for early treatment and control.

Wrap up

Diabetes is on the rise in American adults. More men have the condition than women. People who are advancing in age, are overweight or obese are at higher risk of the condition. Those with better level of education have lower risk of diabetes. Public health managers in Africa should take a cue from the reported increasing pattern of diabetes in America adults and launch multi-country, collaborative studies, to provide factual data on the commonness of diabetes in the continent. Such studies will provide evidence to inform policy for tackling the menace of diabetes in the continent.

Source:

Gwira JA, Fryar CD, Gu Q. Prevalence of total, diagnosed, and undiagnosed diabetes in adults: United States, August 2021–August 2023. NCHS Data Brief, no 516. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2024. DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.15620/cdc/165794. Available from here.

Related:

Type 2 Diabetes on the Rise in the US; Any Lessons for Africa?

Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus: An Explainer for Africans 

Type 2 Diabetes: What Africans Need to Know

Management of Type Two Diabetes in Nigeria

Published: November 8, 2024

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