REACH
Contributed by Sherrie Yarbro
School Health Coordinator
Diabetes Facts
Prevalence
- Nearly 24 million people have type 1 or type 2 diabetes.
- Another 57 million people have pre-diabetes and are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes.
- One out of every 3 children will face a future with diabetes if current trends continue.
The Toll on Health
- The death rate from diabetes continues to climb. Since 1987, the death rate due to diabetes has increased by 45%, while the death rates due to cancer, heart disease, and stroke have declined.
- About 60-70% of people with diabetes have mild to severe forms of nerve damage that could result in pain in the feet or hands, slowed digestion, and other nerve problems.
- The rate of amputation for people with diabetes is 10 times higher than for people without diabetes.
- Two out of three people with diabetes die from heart disease or stroke.
- Diabetes is the leading cause of new cases of blindness among adults.
- Diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure.
Cost of Diabetes
- The total national cost of diagnosed diabetes in the United States is $174 billion.
- Direct medical costs reach $116 billion, and the average medical expenditure among people with diabetes is 2.3 times higher than those without the disease.
- Indirect costs amount to $58 billion (disability, work loss, premature mortality).
- The cost of caring for someone with diabetes is $1 out of every $5 in total healthcare costs.
For more information in English and Spanish call 1-800-DIABETES or visit www.diabetes.org. Also, follow the American Diabetes Association on Facebook (www.facebook.com/AmericanDiabetesAssociation) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/AmDiabetesAssn).
