Diabetes Statistics (Cont.)

Diabetes Statistics on Treating Diabetes

To survive, people with type 1 diabetes must have insulin delivered by injections or a pump.
 
Many people with type 2 diabetes can control their blood glucose by:
 
  • Following a healthy meal plan and exercise program
  • Losing excess weight
  • Taking oral medication.
     
People with diabetes may also need to take medications to control their cholesterol and blood pressure.
 
Diabetes self-management education is an integral component of medical care.
 
Among adults with diagnosed diabetes:
 
  • 16 percent take insulin only
  • 12 percent take both insulin and oral medication
  • 57 percent take oral medication only
  • 15 percent do not take either insulin or oral medications.
     

Diabetes Statistics on Pre-Diabetes

Pre-diabetes is a condition that raises the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. Some people with pre-diabetes have blood glucose levels higher than normal but not high enough to be classified as diabetes.
 
People with pre-diabetes have impaired fasting glucose (IFG) or impaired glucose tolerance (IGT). Some people have both IFG and IGT.
 
IFG is a condition in which the fasting blood glucose level is 100 to 125 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) after an overnight fast. The level is higher than normal but is not high enough to be classified as diabetes.
 
IGT is a condition in which the blood glucose level is 140 to 199 mg/dL after a 2-hour oral glucose tolerance test. This level is higher than normal but not high enough to be classified as diabetes.
 
In a cross-section sample of U.S. adults aged 40 to 74 years (tested from 1988 to 1994):
 
  • 33.8 percent had IFG
  • 15.4 percent had IGT
  • 40.1 percent had pre-diabetes (IGT or IFG or both).
     
Applying these percentages to the entire U.S. population in 2000, an estimated:
 
  • 35 million adults aged 40 to 74 years had IFG
  • 16 million had IGT
  • 41 million had pre-diabetes (there is overlap between the IFG and IGT groups).
     
Progression to diabetes among those with pre-diabetes is not inevitable. Studies have shown that people with pre-diabetes who lose weight and increase their physical activity can prevent or delay diabetes and even return their blood glucose levels to normal.
 

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Written by/reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD