Epidemiology of Type 2 Diabetes

Jashalynn German, M.D., Estelle Everett, M.D.

Prevalence of type 2 diabetes in the U.S.

  • Approximately 30.3 million people (23 million diagnosed, 7.2 million undiagnosed) have diabetes. In 2015, 9.4% of the U.S. population had a diagnosis of diabetes.
  • Approximately 84.1 million adults aged 18 years or older had prediabetes in 2015, based on their fasting glucose or A1C level.
  • In 2015, among U.S. adults aged 18 years or older, there was an estimated 1.5 million new cases of diabetes.
  • One in four older adults have diabetes. Nearly three-quarters of adults aged 65 years or older had diabetes or pre-diabetes.[9]
  • In 2013-2015, the overall prevalence was higher among American Indians/Alaska Natives (15.1%), non-Hispanic blacks (12.7%), and those of Hispanic ethnicity (12.1%) than among non-Hispanic whites (7.4%) and Asians (8.0%).
  • The prevalence of diagnosed diabetes in adults greater than 18 years old continues to increase from 7.3% in 2005 to 8.7% in 2015.
  • References include:[13][8]

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Last updated: October 4, 2020