American Diabetes Association

For more information please visit, www.diabetes.org.

DIABETES BASICS:
Diabetes mellitus (MEL-ih-tus), or simply, diabetes, is a group of diseases characterized by high blood glucose levels that result from defects in the body's ability to produce and/or use insulin.

Diabetes often goes undiagnosed because many of its symptoms seem so harmless. Recent studies indicate that the early detection of diabetes symptoms and treatment can decrease the chance of developing the complications of diabetes.

DIABETES SYMPTOMS:
Type 1 Diabetes
Frequent urination
Unusual thirst
Extreme hunger
Unusual weight loss
Extreme fatigue and Irritability

Type 2 Diabetes*
Any of the type 1 symptoms
Frequent infections
Blurred vision
Cuts/bruises that are slow to heal
Tingling/numbness in the hands/feet
Recurring skin, gum, or bladder infections
*Often people with type 2 diabetes have no symptoms

DIABETES STATISTICS:
Data from the 2011 National Diabetes Fact Sheet (released Jan. 26, 2011)
Total prevalence of diabetes
Total: 25.8 million children and adults in the United States—8.3% of the population—have diabetes.

Diagnosed: 18.8 million people
Undiagnosed: 7.0 million people
Prediabetes: 79 million people*
New Cases: 1.9 million new cases of diabetes are diagnosed in people aged 20 years and older in 2010.

* In contrast to the 2007 National Diabetes Fact Sheet, which used fasting glucose data to estimate undiagnosed diabetes and prediabetes, the 2011 National Diabetes Fact Sheet uses both fasting glucose and A1C levels to derive estimates for undiagnosed diabetes and prediabetes. These tests were chosen because they are most frequently used in clinical practice.

Under 20 years of age
215,000, or 0.26% of all people in this age group have diabetes
About 1 in every 400 children and adolescents has type 1 diabetes

Age 20 years or older - 25.6 million, or 11.3% of all people in this age group have diabetes
Age 65 years or older - 10.9 million, or 26.9% of all people in this age group have diabetes
Men - 13.0 million, or 11.8% of all men aged 20 years or older have diabetes
Women - 12.6 million, or 10.8% of all women aged 20 years or older have diabetes