China is the country with the highest number of diabetics worldwide, with around 141 million people suffering from the disease. By the year 2045, it is predicted that China will have around 174 million people with diabetes.

Death from diabetes

Diabetes is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, accounting for 1.5 million deaths in 2019. Diabetes at least doubles one’s chance of dying prematurely and many places in the world lack appropriate treatment options. The highest number of deaths from diabetes comes from the Western Pacific, where over 717,000 people died from the disease in 2021.

Obesity

One of the biggest risk factors for developing diabetes is being overweight or obese. Rates of obesity have increased in recent years in many countries around the world. In the United States, for example, it is estimated that around 32 percent of the adult population was obese in 2018, compared to 19 percent of the population in 1997.

In 2021, French Polynesia had the highest prevalence of diabetes worldwide, with around 27 percent of the population suffering from the disease. Diabetes mellitus, or simply, diabetes, refers to a group of metabolic disorders that cause high blood sugar levels. Diabetes can be prevented and treated though exercise, maintaining normal body weight, and healthy eating, but is usually managed with insulin injections.

Costs

As of 2021, there were almost 540 million people worldwide who had diabetes. With such a huge number of people suffering from this disease it is no surprise that spending on diabetes can be very high. It is estimated that the United States alone spent around 380 billion U.S. dollars on diabetes health expenditure in 2021. The countries with the highest spending per patient with diabetes include the United States, Switzerland, and Norway.

Death

Diabetes is among the leading ten causes of death worldwide, accounting for around 1.5 million deaths in 2019. Complications resulting from diabetes include chronic kidney disease, stroke, and cardiovascular disease. Risk of early death is at least doubled among those with diabetes. The Western Pacific reports the highest number of deaths from diabetes followed by the Middle East and North Africa.

The country with the highest projected number of diabetics in 2045 is China, with some projected 174 million people between the ages of 20 and 79 suffering from diabetes. It is forecast that the number of adults with the condition in Pakistan will exceed that of the United States by 2045.

Number of diabetics worldwide

Diabetes is a condition that causes the pancreas to stop (or severely reduce) the production of insulin, a hormone needed to regulate blood sugar levels. Many people worldwide live with diabetes: in 2021, a total of about 537 million people had diabetes. This number is projected to reach an estimated 783 million by the year 2045.

Global diabetes costs

In 2021, 966 billion U.S. dollars were spent on diabetes-related healthcare treatment worldwide. Of 2021’s global total, almost 380 billion U.S. dollars were spent in the United States alone. Global healthcare expenditures for diabetes are expected to increase by 84 billion U.S. dollars by 2045.

In 2021, close to 31 percent of the population in Pakistan had diabetes. In comparison, Vietnam had the lowest prevalence of diabetic people across the Asia-Pacific region that year, approximately six percent.

This statistic shows the top 10 countries for number of children and adolescents aged 0 to 19 years with type 1 diabetes in 2021. In that year, the India topped the list with around the 229,400 children and adolescents, followed by the U.S. with 157,900.

In 2021, almost 17 percent of adults between the ages of 20 and 79 had diabetes in Mexico. Other selected countries with a high prevalence of diabetes that year included Turkey, Spain, and the United States. Diabetes is a metabolic disease that causes high blood sugar levels.

Diabetes worldwide

In 2021, an estimated 10.5 percent of the global adult population had diabetes. In concrete numbers, there were about 537 million diabetic adults (20-79 years) worldwide in 2021, and this total is predicted to grow to approximately 783 million by the year 2045.

Spending per patient

The country that spent the most on patients with diabetes in 2021 was the United States. At this time, providing for a diabetic patient here cost an average of almost 12 thousand U.S. dollars. Switzerland stood in second place, spending about 10,500 U.S. dollars per patient. In the same year, the ten countries by lowest average spending per person with diabetes were all African and Asian countries. The Democratic Republic of Congo had the lowest annual diabetes-related health expenditures per person, with about 156 U.S. dollars.

Spain had the highest prevalence of diabetes in Europe among their adult population with 14.8 percent living with diabetes, as of 2021, Portugal followed with the second highest share at 13 percent. Conversely, Ireland was the country with the lowest prevalence of diabetes in Europe at four percent.

Diabetes-related deaths

The highest number of diabetes-related deaths in Europe, at almost 173 thousand, was recorded Italy in 2021. Germany and UK followed, with roughly 151.5 and 140.8 thousand deaths, respectively.

Diabetes risk factors in Europe

One of the major contributing factors to type 2 diabetes is being overweight or obese. As of 2020, Greece had the highest share of overweight population across Europe, with 40.8 percent. The lack of sports and exercise is also another risk factor. As of 2022 Portugal was the European country with the highest share of people never exercising or engaging in sports, with 73 percent.

This statistic shows the top 10 countries based on number of new cases of type 1 diabetes per 100,000 children aged 0 to 14 years, in 2021. Finland had the highest rate with 52.2 new cases per 100,000 children per year.

In 2021, almost 12 thousand U.S. dollars were spent per diabetic patient in the United States, making it the country with the highest average cost per person. Switzerland and Norway stood in second and third place, respectively, each spending over nine thousand U.S. dollars per patient.

Lowest spending countries

When viewing diabetes-related costs worldwide, it becomes apparent that there are significant disparities between countries. The ten countries with the lowest average annual diabetes-related health expenditures per person were all African and Asian countries. The Democratic Republic of the Congo stood at the top of the list in 2021, with an average spending of about 156 U.S. dollars per person. Other countries on this list included Bangladesh, Papua New Guinea, and the Soloman Islands.

Anti-diabetic revenue

Revenue generated by anti-diabetic products has increased as the number of diabetcis worldwide has risen. The largest pharmaceutical company, in terms of global anti-diabetic revenue, was Novo Nordisk in 2017. The company earned roughly 13.7 million U.S. dollars that year and is projected to generate about 21 million U.S. dollars in 2024.

By 2045, the Western Pacific region is forecast to have the highest number of diabetic people worldwide, with some 260 million people aged between 20 and 79 years.

Diabetes in the future

Between 2021 and 2045, the number of diabetics is set to increase in all regions worldwide. Diabetes rates are expected to increase the most in Africa, by roughly 134 percent. Throughout this period, Europe is projected to show the smallest increase, with about 13 percent. In 2045, the countries with the highest number of diabetics are expected to be China with some 174 million and India with about 125 million. That year, about 36 million people are projected to have the condition in the United States.

Children with type 1 diabetes

In 2021, the country with the highest estimated number of children and adolescents (between the ages of 0 and 19) with type 1 diabetes was India, which had some 229 thousand diabetic children and adolescents. The United States came a close second with almost 158 thousand. Considering the U.S. population is significantly smaller than that of India, there is a higher percentage of children with type 1 diabetes in the United States.

Around 10.5 percent of the global adult population suffered from diabetes in 2021 - by the year 2045 this number is expected to rise to over 12 percent. Diabetes, or diabetes mellitus, refers to a group of metabolic disorders that result in chronic high blood sugar levels. Diabetes can lead to serious health complications, such as cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, and stroke and is now among the top ten leading causes of death worldwide.

Prevalence
Diabetes is a global problem affecting a variety of countries. China currently has the largest number of diabetics worldwide with some 141 million people suffering from the disease. However, the highest prevalence of diabetes is found among French Polynesia, Mauritius, and Kuwait. Rates of diabetes have increased in many countries in recent years, as have rates of obesity, one of the leading risk factors for the disease.

Outlook
It is predicted that diabetes will continue to be a problem in the future. Africa is expected to see a 134 percent increase in the number of diabetics in the region from 2021 to 2045, while North America and the Caribbean are expected to see an increase of 24 percent. In 2045, China is predicted to be the country with the highest number of diabetics worldwide, with the United States accounting for the fourth highest number.

As of February 4, 2022, Brazil was the Latin American country with the highest number of adults with diabetes among selected countries in the region, reaching over 15 million adults. That year, the adult population living with diabetes in Mexico amounted to more than 14 million people, while Colombia reported around 3.44 million adults with diabetes.

This statistic shows the world regions' age adjusted diabetes prevalence among adults (20-79 years) in 2021 and a 2045 forecast. In 2021, North America and the Caribbean had a 12 percent diabetes prevalence.

In 2021, the Democratic Republic of Congo was the country with the lowest spending per patient with diabetes in the world, with average annual expenditures amounting to some 156 U.S. dollars that year. Other countries with low diabetes spending per diabetic person included Bangladesh, Papua New Guinea, and the Soloman Islands.

Worldwide cost of diabetes

The cost of diabetes was by far the highest in North America and the Caribbean in 2021: the average cost per diabetic patient was approximately 8,650 U.S. dollars for that region. With around half that, Europe had the second-highest diabetes costs with roughly 4,320 U.S. dollars.

Diabetes in 2045

In 2021, it was estimated that around 537 million people worldwide had diabetes. By 2045, this number is forecast to reach 783 million. For adults aged 20 to 64, the number of diabetic people is expected to increase by roughly 25 percent between 2017 and 2045. For the older generation (65- to 79-year-olds), the number of diabetics will more than double in that time.

It is estimated that there are around 652 thousand children worldwide who have type 1 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes, also known as juvenile diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes, is a condition in which the body cannot produce insulin, requiring people with the condition to take artificial insulin to stay alive. Unlike type 2 diabetes, developing type 1 diabetes is not associated with being overweight or obese. The exact cause of type 1 diabetes is not known, but genetics and exposure to viruses and other environmental factors are thought to play a role. Type 2 diabetes cases account for the vast majority of diabetes cases.

Type 1 diabetes treatment

The countries with the highest rates of type 1 diabetes among children and adolescents include Finland, Sweden, and Kuwait. Treatment for diabetes type 1 includes eating healthy, exercising, monitoring blood sugar, and taking insulin. There are different types of insulin which can be injected or delivered through an insulin pump. The worldwide insulin treatment market is large and growing. By 2027 it is predicted that the market for insulin pens alone will be worth some 8.3 billion U.S. dollars.

Type 1 diabetes in the U.S.

The United States does not have the highest rate of type 1 diabetes among children and adolescents worldwide, but it is just behind India with the highest number of children and adolescents with the condition. It is estimated that around .64 percent of male adults and .46 percent of females in the U.S. have been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. The prevalence of diagnosed type 1 diabetes in the U.S. increases slightly with age.

In 2021, there were estimated to be around 301,200 deaths among those aged 60 years and younger due to diabetes in South East Asia. South America and Central America had the lowest number of diabetes-related deaths that year.

Leading health problems worldwide

In 2021, roughly 13 percent of adults worldwide stated diabetes was one of the biggest health problems facing people in their country. around 70 percent of all adults stated that the most troubling problem at that time was COVID-19. Other prevalent health issues mentioned that year were cancer, mental health, stress, and obesity.

Diagnosed cancer

The United States had the highest prevalence of diagnosed cancer cases among adults in 2019. Roughly nine percent of the U.S. adult population suffered from cancer conditions. Brazil and China saw significantly lower cancer rates that year: two percent of Brazilian and one percent of Chinese adults had cancer in 2019. In the EU-5, and especially in Russia, cancer rates among women were significantly higher compared to their male counterparts. For other selected countries on the list, the distribution of diagnosed cancer by gender remained relatively stable.

This statistic depicts the number of diabetics worldwide in 2021, sorted by region. The Western Pacific is the region with the highest number of diabetics worldwide, with some 206 million persons aged between 20 and 79 years suffering from diabetes.

This statistic shows the number of diagnosed prevalent cases of type 2 diabetes worldwide in 2015 and a forecast for 2025, by country. In 2015, there were over 25 million cases of type 2 diabetes in the U.S. This number is expected to grow to almost 38 million by the year 2025.

The average cost per diabetic patient was approximately 8,650 U.S. dollars in North America and the Caribbean in 2021. This amount was far greater than for any other region. Within this region specifically, average diabetes-related health expenditure was by far the highest in the United States.

Highest spending per patient

In 2021, the average yearly cost per person with diabetes was the highest in the United States, where costs ran close to 12 thousand U.S. dollars per patient. Switzerland stood in second place that year with approximately 10,545 U.S. dollars per person per year. Sweden and Ireland were also among the ten highest spending countries.

Diabetes mellitus worldwide

In 2021, the country with the highest number of diabetic people in the world was China, which had a diabetic population of almost 141 million. India had the second-highest number of diabetics that year with 74 million people. These are, however, the world’s most populous countries. When comparing the number of diabetic people within a country to the rest of the country’s population, the results are quite different. In 2021, close to a third of the people living in French Polynesia had the condition, making it the country with the highest prevalence of diabetes in the world.

In 2021, it was estimated that China had about 141 million diabetics aged from 20 to 79 years, which was the highest number of any country. The figure would very likely climb to 174 million by 2045. Diabetes is one of the leading death causes across the globe.

An overview of diabetes

Diabetes mellitus, commonly known as diabetes, is an incurable chronic health condition in which dangerously high levels of glucose flood the body due to the lack of insulin production (type 1 diabetes) or the body’s inability to use insulin to regulate blood sugar levels (type 2 and gestational diabetes). Globally, the number of people suffering from this chronic disease amounted to 537 million in 2021. The largest number of diabetics were from China, followed by India and Pakistan in that year. In terms of diabetes prevalence, French Polynesia, Mauritius, and Kuwait had the highest rates. With regard to diabetes-related health expenditure, China alone spent over half of the amount spent by the entire Western Pacific region.

Key figures of diabetes in China

Back in the 1980s, less than one percent of the Chinese population was said to have diabetes. In the recent decade, the prevalence rate has jumped to an alarming level, and about one in five of all adult diabetes sufferers worldwide were in China. Records from 2021 show that most of such patients in the country fell within the age group of 20 to 79 years - mainly type 2 diabetes. Some experts point out the nation’s economic growth coupled with unhealthy diets and reduced physical activity as major risk factors which cause type 2 diabetes. It is worth noting that the awareness and control rates of diabetes were relatively low in China compared with the situations in other strong economies.