How many people have diabetes worldwide, and why are the numbers rising?

The World Health Organization reports that the number of people living with diabetes rose from 200 million in 1990 to 830 million in 2022. In 2022, 14% of adults aged 18 and older were living with diabetes, up from 7% in 1990. Prevalence has been rising more rapidly in low- and middle-income countries than in high-income ones.

Organizations report different totals. The International Diabetes Federation, for example, estimated 537 million adults living with diabetes in 2021. These are different estimates for different years, so they are not interchangeable, but both point the same way: up.

Why up? One source says the rise largely reflects more risk factors for type 2 diabetes, notably greater longevity and being overweight or obese. In developing countries the increase follows urbanization, more sedentary lifestyles and a global nutrition transition toward energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods.

Treatment has not kept pace. The WHO says that in 2022, 59% of adults aged 30 and over living with diabetes were not taking medication for it, with treatment coverage lowest in low- and middle-income countries. In 2021 diabetes was the direct cause of 1.6 million deaths, 47% of them before age 70.