People from South Asian backgrounds for example are more likely to experience insulin resistance at a younger age. This could be linked to how fat is stored in the body and particularly around the middle. This is known as visceral fat and it can build up around important organs like the liver and pancreas.
A similar story follows in the Americas, where Mexico has the highest adult prevalence of diabetes at 16.9% or 14.1 million people. Though the U.S. has a lower rate at 10.7%, its higher population gives it an estimated 32.2 million adults with diabetes.
Nationwide, more than 1 in 5 people who have diabetes don't know they have it. But for Asian American people, that number is higher—around 1 in 3.
Diabetes in Adults
In the U.S., 8.3% of the population or 25.8 million individuals have diabetes. Among them 7 million are estimated to be undiagnosed [1, 5]. The prevalence of diabetes is highest among Native Americans (33%) and lowest among Alaska natives (5.5%; Table 1).
You're two to six times more likely to get type 2 diabetes if you have a parent, brother, sister or child with diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is two to four times more likely in people of South Asian descent and African-Caribbean or Black African descent. You're more at risk if you've ever had high blood pressure.
The exact cause of most types of diabetes is unknown. In all cases, sugar builds up in the bloodstream. This is because the pancreas doesn't produce enough insulin. Both type 1 and type 2 diabetes may be caused by a combination of genetic or environmental factors.
Diabetes rates vary greatly around the world. Pakistan has the highest diabetes rate at 30.8%, followed by Kuwait at 24.9%, and Nauru, New Caledonia, and the Northern Mariana Islands, all at 23.4%. On the other hand, countries with the lowest diabetes rates include Eritrea, Somalia, and Guinea-Bissau, all below 1%.
If you have a mother, father, sister, or brother with diabetes, you are more likely to get diabetes yourself. You are also more likely to have prediabetes. Talk to your doctor about your family health history of diabetes.
By Income Level
Adults with a family income below the federal poverty level (FPL) have the highest prevalence of diabetes.
Unhealthy diets and lack of physical activity are driving increasing rates of overweight and obesity in China – which are themselves risk factors for developing Type 2 diabetes. More than one-third of adults in China are overweight, while 7% of adults are obese.
The populous country has the highest number of diabetics globally – about 141 million in 2021. Health experts believe that the major causes of this surge are urbanization and rising living standards coupled with an aging population.
India is often referred to as the 'Diabetes Capital of the World', as it accounts for 17%percent of the total number of diabetes patients in the world. There are currently close to 80 million people with diabetes in India and this number is expected to increase to 135 million by 2045.
The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) currently states that the top 5 countries with the highest amount of people with diabetes are as follows: China: 109 million. India: 69 million. USA: 29 million.
Millions of women and more than 40% of children are malnourished across the country, Jawad said. These women give birth to malnourished babies, increasing the risk of childhood diabetes, she added. A lack of access to affordable education in Pakistan also plays a role in growing diabetes cases.
Even if you have a family health history of diabetes, you can prevent or delay type 2 diabetes by eating healthier, being physically active, and maintaining or reaching a healthy weight. This is especially important if you have prediabetes, and taking these steps can reverse prediabetes.
Some people have certain genes (traits passed on from parent to child) that make them more likely to develop type 1 diabetes. However, many of them won't go on to have type 1 diabetes even if they have the genes. A trigger in the environment, such as a virus, may also play a part in developing type 1 diabetes.
Home Diabetes Is it possible to reverse diabetes? The short answer is yes; it's possible for Type 2 diabetes to go into remission. To be in remission, your blood sugar levels must remain normal for at least three months without using glucose-lowering medications.
Among Korean adults aged 30 years or older, approximately 6.05 million people, or 16.7% (19.2% in men and 14.3% in women), had diabetes mellitus in 2020 (Table 1). When defined based on FPG alone, the estimated prevalence of diabetes mellitus was 14.5% (16.8% in men and 12.3% in women).
Although diabetes was more prevalent among urban residents in China, the associated excess mortality was higher among rural residents. The findings of this study have important clinical and public health implications.
Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a major public health concern in Japan. According to a national survey, about 12% of the Japanese population had diabetes in 2016 [1]. The number of diabetics has been on the rise since the first survey was conducted in 1997.
The lifestyle that puts thin people are risk for diabetes includes: Little or no physical activity. Eating too many carbohydrates, especially from simple sources like sugary drinks. Not managing stress.
Stress doesn't cause diabetes but it can affect your blood sugar levels and how you look after your condition. Having diabetes to manage on top of life's normal ups and downs can itself be a cause of stress.