How many Americans have diabetes or pre-diabetes?

8.5% of the US population have diabetes - 25.8 million children and adults.

Researchers from the Jefferson School of Population Health (Philadelphia, PA) published a study which estimates that by 2025 there could be 53.1 million people with the disease.

18.8 million people have been diagnosed with diabetes

About 7 million people with diabetes have not been diagnosed.

About 79 million people have pre-diabetes

1.9 million people aged 20 years or more were newly diagnosed with diabetes in 2010

215,000 (0.26%) people younger than 20 years have diabetes

Approximately 1 in every 400 kids and teenagers has diabetes

11.3% of people aged 20+ years have diabetes; a total of 25.6 million individuals

26.9% of people aged 65+ years have diabetes; a total of 10.9 million people

11.8% of men have diabetes; a total of 13 million people

10.8% of women have diabetes; a total of 12.6 million people

There are three types of diabetes:

1)Type 1 Diabetes

The body does not produce insulin. Some people may refer to this type as insulin-dependent diabetes, juvenile diabetes, or early-onset diabetes. People usually develop type 1 diabetes before their 40th year, often in early adulthood or teenage years. Approximately 10% of all diabetes cases are type 1.

2) Type 2 Diabetes

The body does not produce enough insulin for proper function, or the cells in the body do not react to insulin (insulin resistance).Approximately 90% of all cases of diabetes worldwide are of this type.Overweight and obese people have a much higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes compared to those with a healthy body weight.

3)Gestational diabetes

This type affects females during pregnancy

How to determine whether you have diabetes, prediabetes or neither

The A1C test

- at least 6.5% means diabetes

- between 5.7% and 5.99% means prediabetes

- less than 5.7% means normal

The FPG (fasting plasma glucose) test

- at least 126 mg/dl means diabetes

- between 100 mg/dl and 125.99 mg/dl means prediabetes

- less than 100 mg/dl means normal

Controlling Diabetes - Treatment is Effective and Important

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All types of diabetes are treatable. Diabetes type 1 lasts a lifetime, there is no known cure. Type 2 usually lasts a lifetime; however, some people have managed, through a lot of exercise, diet and excellent body weight control to get rid of their symptoms without medication.