Researchers report that a significant portion of the world’s population with diabetes is undiagnosed and many people who are aware of their condition are still not getting optimal treatment.
The study, from scientists at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle, was published on September 8 in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology journalTrusted Source.
The findings indicate that 44% of people ages 15 and older worldwide are unaware they have developed diabetes.
The highest rate of undiagnosed cases was among young adults, who face higher risksTrusted Source for long-term complications from the disease.
In addition, the IHME scientists said 91% of people diagnosed with diabetes were receiving some form of pharmacological treatment. However, they estimated that only 42% of those receiving treatment had their blood sugar levels managed optimally.
David Cutler, MD, a family medicine physician at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, CA, not affiliated with the research, said the study sends a clear message.
“We need to make people aware of the prevalence and seriousness of this disease,” he told Healthline.
Most undiagnosed cases are type 2 diabetes
The study analyzed information on people of all ages and genders in 204 countries from 2000 to 2023.
The researchers reported that high-income North America had the highest rates of diagnosis, while the high-income Asia Pacific region showed the highest rates of treatment. Southern Latin America had the highest rates of optimal blood sugar management.
Central sub-Saharan Africa had the lowest rates of diagnosis, with less than 20% of people with diabetes being aware of their condition.
The research team told Healthline that both type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes were included in the analysis, but most of the undiagnosed cases involved type 2 diabetes.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimatesTrusted Source that more than 29 million adults in the United States have been diagnosed with diabetes.
However, another 8 million adults are unaware they have the disease. That’s an undiagnosed rate of about 20%.
“Diagnosing diabetes early is important because it allows for timely management to prevent or delay long-term complications,” Rita Kalyani, MD, the chief scientific and medical officer at the American Diabetes Association (ADA), told Healthline. Kalyani wasn’t involved in the research.
