Following a doubling of the incidence and prevalence of diabetes in the United States
from 1990-2008, new research is showing a plateauing of the rate between 2008-2012 for adults.
Rate of diabetes in U.S. may be leveling off
However, the rate continues to increase in Hispanic and non-Hispanic black adults. The results of the study were published in the September 24 issue of JAMA.
While there has been an increase in the rate of diabetes in recent decades, no studies have analyzed the long-term trends of this disease in the U.S.
Linda S. Geiss, M.A., of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and her colleagues analyzed the 1980-2012 data for 664,969 adults form ages 20-79 from the National Health Interview Survey and determined the yearly change of diabetes rates.
During 1980-2012, the rates of prevalence and incidence were both similar. The prevalence per 100 persons was 3.5 in 1990, 7.9 in 2008, and 8.3 in 2012. The incidence per 1,000 persons was 3.2 in 1990, 8.8 in 2008, and 7.1 in 2012. Both prevalence and incidence increased sharply during 1990-2008 (for prevalence, 4.5 percent, for incidence, 4.7 percent) before leveling off with no significant change during 2008-2012 (for prevalence, 0.6 percent, for incidence, -5-4 percent).
The research team believes that the reasons for a leveling off in the rate of diabetes may be caused by a decrease in obesity, which is a major risk factor for type-2 diabetes.
Both incidence and prevalence have both plateaued in many population subgroups. However, incidence continued to increase in Hispanic and non-Hispanic black adults, and prevalence continued to increase among those with a high school education or less.
“This threatens to exacerbate racial/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities in diabetes prevalence and incidence. Furthermore, in light of the well-known excess risk of amputation, blindness, end-stage renal disease, disability, mortality, and health care costs associated with diabetes, the doubling of diabetes incidence and prevalence ensures that diabetes will remain a major public health problem that demands effective prevention and management programs,” the authors write.
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REFERENCES:
1. “Rate of Diabetes in U.S. May Be Leveling Off.” For the Media JAMA. JAMA, 23 Sept. 2014. Web. 04 Oct. 2014.
2. “Prevalence and Incidence Trends for Diabetes Among Adults.” JAMA Network. The Journal of the American Medical Association, 24 Sept. 2014. Web. 04 Oct. 2014.
3. “Rate of Diabetes in U.S. May Be Leveling off.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 23 Sept. 2014. Web. 04 Oct. 2014.
