Diabetes Facts From The ADA

November is Diabetes Month from the American Diabetes Association. You can learn more at www.stopdiabetes.com.

From their fact sheet, here are some key facts.

Prevalence

• Nearly 24 million people have type 1 or type 2 diabetes.
• Another 57 million people have pre-diabetes and are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes.
• One out of every 3 children will face a future with diabetes if current trends continue.

The Toll on Health

• The death rate from diabetes continues to climb. Since 1987, the death rate due to diabetes has increased by 45%, while the death rates due to cancer, heart disease, and stroke have declined.
• About 60-70% of people with diabetes have mild to severe forms of nerve damage that could result in pain in the feet or hands, slowed digestion, sexual dysfunction, and other nerve problems.
• The rate of amputation for people with diabetes is 10 times higher than for people without diabetes.
• Two out of three people with diabetes die from heart disease or stroke.
• Diabetes is the leading cause of new cases of blindness among adults.
• Diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure.

Cost of Diabetes

• The total national cost of diagnosed diabetes in the United States is $174 billion.
• Direct medical costs reach $116 billion, and the average medical expenditure among people with diabetes is 2.3 times higher than those without the disease.
• Indirect costs amount to $58 billion (disability, work loss, premature mortality).
• The cost of caring for someone with diabetes is $1 out of every $5 in total healthcare costs.