A new study reveals that many individuals with diabetes are unaware of their condition.
A data analysis published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology journal says that 44% of people age 15 and older living with the condition are undiagnosed. The findings come from an examination of data from 204 countries and territories from 2000 to 2023.
“The majority of people with diabetes that we report on in the study have type 2 diabetes,” said Lauryn Stafford, the lead author of the study and a researcher for the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, per CNN.
Globally, around 1 in 9 adults lives with diabetes, according to the International Diabetes Federation. In the U.S., the rate is slightly higher, with 11.6% of Americans having the condition, according to 2021 data from the American Diabetes Association.
“We found that 56% of people with diabetes are aware that they have the condition,” said Stafford. “Globally, there’s a lot of variation geographically, and also by age.”
The rates of undiagnosed diabetes were found to be substantially higher for young people. Just 20% of people under 35 years with diabetes were aware of their condition.
Part of the reason likely lies in the fact that routine screening is not encouraged as much for younger people. Organizations like the American Diabetes Association, for example, recommend that annual routine screenings begin at age 35.
Stafford says diagnoses typically occur only once an individual starts to experience complications, often later in life.
“You can survive with elevated glucose levels for many, many years,” she said.
However, Rita Kalyani, chief scientific and medical officer at the American Diabetes Association, says it is essential to diagnose the condition early to help reduce the likelihood of long-term complications, like nerve damage, kidney failure, and heart disease.
Last month, The Dallas Express reported on a new study that found a lower-calorie Mediterranean diet, combined with exercise and nutritional support, can significantly cut chances of developing type 2 diabetes. People following the regimen in the study experienced a 31% lower chance of developing the condition compared to those who only followed the diet.