A study suggests that over 800 million adults worldwide have diabetes, with many cases going untreated.
A new study reveals that over 800 million adults globally have diabetes—nearly double previous estimates—with more than half of those over 30 not receiving treatment. The research, published in The Lancet , found that in 2022, around 828 million adults aged 18 and older had type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Among those over 30, a staggering 445 million (59%) were untreated. The World Health Organization (WHO) previously estimated that approximately 422 million people have diabetes, a chronic condition impacting blood sugar levels and potentially leading to heart, nerve, and organ damage if left unmanaged. Diabetes rates have doubled globally since 1990, rising from 7% to 14%, largely due to increasing cases in low- and middle-income nations. However, while treatment rates have improved in some high-income countries, they have remained nearly stagnant in many lower-income regions, widening the treatment gap. In parts of ...