By 2050, the global number of people with diabetes aged 20–79 is projected to rise to 853 million, a 45% increase from 2024. Africa is expected to see the highest surge, with a 145% rise, while Europe will have the smallest increase at 10%. South-East Asia and the Middle East & North Africa will also face substantial increases of 73% and 92%, respectively. While North America with 21% rise; South and central America will have 45% rise. These trends highlight a growing global health challenge that requires urgent attention and strategic intervention.
According to the 2024 IDF Diabetes Atlas:
- 1 in 9 adults aged 20–79 years (589 million people) are living with diabetes.
- Impaired glucose tolerance affects 1 in 8 adults (635 million people).
- 1 in 11 adults have impaired fasting glucose while 1 in 4 adults over 65 years has diabetes.
- Alarmingly, 4 in 10 adults with diabetes remain undiagnosed, totaling 252 million people.
- Additionally, 3.4 million deaths are attributed to diabetes.
- 11.9% of global health expenditure with over USD 1 trillion is dedicated to diabetes care.
High- and middle-income countries showed substantially high prevalence of diabetes with increasing age compared to low-income countries. In 2024, Africa and South-East Asia have the highest number of adults with undiagnosed diabetes. The proportion of undiagnosed cases is particularly elevated in the African region, exceeding 70%.
Conclusion:
