Study Reveals Risks Of Undiagnosed Diabetes Cases; 1.3 Billion Projected To Be Affected By 2050 Globally

A new global study about diabetes care has revealed that nearly half of adults with diabetes remain undiagnosed, which puts them at higher risk of long-term health problems. Published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, the research was conducted by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington.

The study found that in 2023, 44% of people aged 15 and older living with diabetes did not know they had the condition. Young adults had the highest rates of underdiagnosis (only 26% diagnosed in 2023), being more vulnerable to the risk of long-term health complications.

Among those diagnosed, 91% were receiving some type of medication. However, only 42% had their blood sugar levels under control. Overall, just 21% of all people with diabetes were managing the condition effectively worldwide. The data for this study were collected from 204 countries between 2000 and 2023.

“We systematically reviewed cross-sectional surveys that are representative of the general population and the published and grey literature to estimate the proportion of people with diabetes who are undiagnosed, diagnosed but untreated, receiving treatment with suboptimal glycaemic concentrations, and receiving treatment with optimal glycaemic concentrations. Treatment was defined as current use of insulin or other hypoglycaemic medication,” the authors said in the research report.

The study also revealed wide regional differences, such as high-income countries had better outcomes. North America registered the highest diagnosis rates. The Asia Pacific region led in treatment rates among diagnosed individuals. However, low- and middle-income countries lag in terms of care for diabetes patients.

Southern Latin America had the highest rates of effective blood sugar control among people receiving treatment. In contrast, central sub-Saharan Africa recorded the lowest diagnosis rates. Fewer than 20% of people with diabetes in that region knew they had the condition.

"By 2050, 1.3 billion people are expected to be living with diabetes, and if nearly half don't know they have a serious and potentially deadly health condition, it could easily become a silent epidemic," Lauryn Stafford, first author and researcher at IHME, was quoted as saying by online publication Medical Xpress.