Introduction
Introduction Statistics Contact Development Disclaimer Help
.-') _ .-') _
( OO ) ) ( OO ) )
.-----. ,--./ ,--,' ,--./ ,--,'
' .--./ | \ | |\ | \ | |\
| |('-. | \| | )| \| | )
/_) |OO )| . |/ | . |/
|| |`-'| | |\ | | |\ |
(_' '--'\ | | \ | | | \ |
`-----' `--' `--' `--' `--'
lite.cnn.com - on gopher - inofficial
ARTICLE VIEW:
Nearly half of people with diabetes don’t know they have it, new
study finds
By Gina Park, CNN
Updated:
11:59 AM EDT, Wed September 10, 2025
Source: CNN
When was the last time you had your blood sugar checked? It might be
worth looking into, a new study says.
Forty-four percent of people age 15 and older living with diabetes are
undiagnosed, so they don’t know they have it, according to data
analysis published Monday in the journal .
The study looked at data from 204 countries and territories from 2000
to 2023 in a systematic review of published literature and surveys. The
findings at the global level are for people age 15 and older.
“The majority of people with diabetes that we report on in the study
have type 2 diabetes,” said Lauryn Stafford , the lead author of the
study.
Around live with diabetes worldwide, according to the International
Diabetes Foundation. In the United States, 11.6% of Americans have
diabetes, according to 2021 data from the .
“We found that 56% of people with diabetes are aware that they have
the condition,” said Stafford, a researcher for the Institute for
Health Metrics and Evaluation. “Globally, there’s a lot of
variation geographically, and also by age. So, generally, higher-income
countries were doing better at diagnosing people than low- and
middle-income countries.”
Younger people don’t know they have diabetes
People under 35 years were much less likely to be diagnosed if they had
diabetes than people in middle age or older. Just “20% of young
adults with diabetes were aware of their condition,” Stafford said.
Routine screenings aren’t promoted as much for young adults as for
older adults. Many larger organizations, like the , suggest annual
routine screenings for adults 35 and older.
“You can survive with elevated glucose levels for many, many
years,” Stafford said. “People end up getting diagnosed with
diabetes only at the point where they have complications,” which are
more common in older adults.
Depending on how long a person has had diabetes before it’s
discovered, the health impacts may vary.
“Diagnosing diabetes early is important because it allows for timely
management to prevent or delay long-term complications such as heart
disease, kidney failure, nerve damage, and vision loss,” said Dr.
Rita Kalyani, chief scientific and medical officer at the American
Diabetes Association. She was not involved in the study.
Around one-third of adults are diagnosed with diabetes later than their
earliest symptom, according to a .
What symptoms should you look for?
“Symptoms of diabetes include increased thirst or hunger, frequent
urination, blurry vision, unexpected weight loss, and fatigue. However,
in the early stages, most people with diabetes are asymptomatic, which
highlights the importance of screening and diagnosis,” said Kalyani,
a professor of medicine in the division of endocrinology, diabetes and
metabolism at Johns Hopkins University.
If you experience any of these or have a history of diabetes in your
family, experts recommend you get a glucose screening.
Globally, in 2023, about 40% of people with treated diabetes were
getting optimal results and lowering their blood sugar, said Stafford.
That’s why it’s important that future efforts focus on ensuring
that more people receive and follow proper treatment post-diagnosis.
That only 4 in 10 patients were seeing optimal results was surprising,
as several well-established treatments, including , and other drugs
like , are available.
People with diabetes likely also have other health issues, such as
hypertension or chronic kidney disease, which can make treatment
complex, Stafford added.
Can you prevent diabetes?
It depends.
While there is no known way to prevent , there are many ways to prevent
the more common form of .
Reducing the amount of red and processed meats you eat can help lower
your risk of type 2 diabetes, as . You could do this with a or by
introducing more plant-based foods to your meals.
In addition, limit the amount of you eat, adding more whole foods, like
fruits and nuts, instead.
Incorporating into your regular routine can also decrease your risk of
developing not only diabetes but also other chronic diseases. Fast
walking for at least is just one form of exercise you can do.
“I think, ultimately, if we can also focus more on the risk factors
for developing diabetes — preventing people from needing to be
diagnosed in the first place — that is also critical,” Stafford
said.
<- back to index
You are viewing proxied material from codevoid.de. The copyright of proxied material belongs to its original authors. Any comments or complaints in relation to proxied material should be directed to the original authors of the content concerned. Please see the disclaimer for more details.