People Affected
While diabetes occurs in people of all ages and races, some groups have a higher risk of developing the disease than others.
Diabetes is more common in African Americans, Native Americans, Asian Americans, Latino Americans, Pacific Islanders, as well as the aged population.
Diabetes among African Americans
- Approximately 2.7 million or 11.4% of all African Americans aged 20 or older have diabetes
- It is suspected that one third of African Americans that have diabetes are unaware
- African Americans are 1.6 times as likely to have diabetes than non-Hispanic whites
- One in four African American women over 55 years of age has diabetes
- 25% of African Americans between the ages of 65 and 74 have diabetes
Diabetes among Latino Americans
- Two million or 8.2% of all Latino Americans have diabetes.
- Latinos are 1.5 times as likely to have diabetes than non-Latino whites
- Approximately 24% of Mexican Americans in the United States and 26% of Puerto Ricans between the ages of 45-74 have diabetes
- Nearly 16% of Cuban Americans in the United States between the ages of 45-74 have diabetes
- The prevalence of Type 2 diabetes is 1.5 times as high in Latinos than non-Latino whites
Diabetes among Men & Women
- Approximately 8.7 million or 8.7% of all men over the age of 20 in the United States have diabetes
- Approximately 9.3 million or 8.7% of all women over the age of 20 in the United States have diabetes
Diabetes among Native Americans
- On average, Native Americans are 2.2 times more likely to have diabetes as non-Hispanic whites of similar age
- 107,775 or 14.5% of Native Americans and Alaska Natives receiving care from the Indian Health Services have diabetes.
Diabetes among Seniors
- The risk for Type 2 diabetes increases with age. 8.6 million or 18.3% of Americans over age 60 have diabetes
- Approximately half of all diabetes cases occur in people older than 55 years of age
Diabetes among Young People
Type 1
- Approximately 1 in every 400-500 children and adolescents has Type 1 diabetes
- The risk of developing Type 1 diabetes is higher than almost all severe chronic diseases in childhood
- Peak incidence occurs around age 10 to 12 years in girls and 12 to 14 years in boys
- Type 1 diabetes tends to run in families. Brothers and sisters of children with Type 1 diabetes have about a 10% chance of developing the disease by age 50
- The symptoms of Type 1 diabetes can mimic flu in children
Type 2
- Alarming upward trend because of an increased incidence in obesity
- As many as 80% of young people may be overweight at the time of diagnosis
