Prevalence of Diabetes in the US Doubles

The prevalence of diabetes in the United States has risen from 5.5% to 9.3% over the last 20 years, paralleling the rise of obesity, according to a new study.

In order to update the trends in prevalence of diabetes, prediabetes, and glycemic control, researchers studied data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 1988-1994 and 1999-2010.

They used calibrated HbA1c levels to define diabetes (6.5% or greater), prediabetes (5.7% to 6.4%) and glycemic control among patients with diagnosed diabetes (less than 8.0%. Trends in HbA1c were then compared with fasting glucose levels (≥7.0 mmol/L [≥126 mg/dL], and 5.6 to 6.9 mmol/L [100 to 125 mg/dL]).

During the 20-year period, the prevalence of diabetes rose to approximately 21 million adults over 20 years old, while the number of undiagnosed cases remained stable, reducing proportionally, falling from 16% to 11%.  Researchers suggested that the use of more accurate and reliable screening tools is responsible for the greater number of identified cases.

The prevalence of prediabetes increased from 5.8% to 12.4% over the 2 decades, when defined by HbA1c levels, rather than by fasting glucose levels.

Overall, “among the growing number of persons with diagnosed diabetes, glycemic control improved but remains a challenge, particularly among non-Hispanic blacks and Mexican Americans,” researchers concluded.

–Michael Potts

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Reference

Selvin E, Parrinello CM, Sacks DB, Coresh J. Trends in prevalence and control of diabetes in the United States, 1988–1994 and 1999–2010.  Ann Intern Med. 2014;160(8):517-525. doi:10.7326/M13-2411