Worldwide trends in diabetes prevalence and treatment from 1990 to 2022: a pooled analysis of 1108 population-representative studies with 141 million participants
Key result
Global diabetes cases reach 828 million, with ~59% of adults left untreated.
- n=141,000,000
Population
141 million participants from 1108 population-representative studies across 200 countries and territories
Design
Meta-analysis
Follow-up
1990 to 2022
Authors
Discussion
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Implication
The global prevalence of diabetes has surged to 828 million adults in 2022, with 59% remaining untreated, highlighting a massive and growing treatment gap, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
Key Points
- To evaluate global, regional, and national trends in diabetes prevalence and treatment coverage across 200 countries and territories between 1990 and 2022.
- Pooled data from 1,108 population-representative studies encompassing 141 million participants across 200 countries and territories.
- Defined diabetes by biomarker criteria (or active use of diabetes medication) and treatment coverage as the proportion of individuals with diabetes receiving medication.
- Applied a Bayesian hierarchical meta-regression model to estimate age-standardised diabetes prevalence and treatment proportions by country, age, and sex from 1990 to 2022.
- In 2022, an estimated 828 million (95% CrI 757–908) adults had diabetes, representing an increase of 630 million (95% CrI 554–713) cases since 1990, driven largely by rises in low- and middle-income countries.
- An estimated 445 million (95% CrI 401–496) adults aged 30 years or older with diabetes received no treatment in 2022 (59% of this age group), a 3.5-fold increase in untreated individuals compared to 1990.
- Age-standardised treatment coverage remained below 10% in several sub-Saharan African nations, while reaching 55% or higher in South Korea, select high-income western nations, and parts of central and eastern Europe and Latin America.
Study Design
Type
Meta-Analysis (n=141,000,000)
Multicenter
Yes
Structured PICO
P
Population
141 million participants from 1,108 population-representative studies across 200 countries and territories to estimate diabetes prevalence and treatment trends from 1990 to 2022.
O
Outcome
Trends in diabetes prevalence and treatment coverage from 1990 to 2022
The global prevalence of diabetes has surged to 828 million adults in 2022, with 59% remaining untreated, highlighting a massive and growing treatment gap, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
Cite This Study
Zhou et al. (2024) conducted a meta-analysis in Diabetes (n=141,000,000). Time period (1990 to 2022) vs. 1990 was evaluated on Diabetes prevalence and treatment coverage. From 1990 to 2022, global diabetes prevalence increased to 828 million adults, with 59% of adults aged ≥30 years with diabetes (445 million) not receiving treatment in 2022.