Facts about diabetes

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  • The number of people with diabetes worldwide currently stands at 246 million.1 This number is expected to grow to 380 million by 2025.1 Diabetes is emerging as one of the most serious health problems of our time.1
  • Every 10 seconds, two people develop diabetes worldwide.1
  • Each year, 3.8 million people worldwide die from diabetes or its complications– roughly the same number as those dying from HIV/AIDS.1
  • Every 10 seconds, someone in the world dies from complications of diabetes.1
  • Worldwide, the direct healthcare costs of diabetes related illness range from 2.5% to 15% of annual health care budgets.2
  • Major health care costs associated with diabetes care around the world are related to the premature death and disability caused by its preventable complications, including heart, kidney, eye and foot disease.1

Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes

The two main types of diabetes are called type 1 and type 2:

Type 1 diabetes

This type develops when the cells that produce insulin are destroyed by the individual’s own immune system. The reason for this destruction is unknown, but may be triggered by external environmental factors.3

People with type 1 diabetes must take insulin injections on a daily basis. This form of diabetes is usually diagnosed in children or young adults, and people with type 1 diabetes require insulin treatment to survive.3

The prevalence of type 1 diabetes is growing worldwide at a rate of 3% per year. Some 70,000 children around the world aged 14 and under develop type 1 diabetes annually.1

Type 2 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes and accounts for 90 - 95% of all diabetes worldwide.1

Obesity is a risk factor for the development of type 2 diabetes and people who are obese are seven times more likely to develop diabetes than those who are normal weight.4

Globally, one billion adults are overweight and at least 300 million are obese.5 The prevalence of obesity is rising to epidemic proportions in both developed and developing countries worldwide.5

Symptoms of diabetes

People with diabetes often have the following symptoms:

  • Excessive thirst
  • Frequent urination
  • Fatigue6
  • Slow healing of wounds7

With type 2 diabetes, however, the symptoms are often less pronounced and sometimes not apparent. This can lead to a delay in diagnosis and treatment, which can increase the risk of developing complications due to poorly controlled diabetes.6