A study published in The Lancet reveals a dramatic rise in the number of adults with diabetes globally, increasing from under 200 million in 1990 to over 800 million in 2022. This surge has been most pronounced in developing countries, where the largest increases have been recorded.

A new study has found that over 800 million adults worldwide have diabetes—a figure nearly double previous estimates—and that more than half of those over 30 with the condition are not receiving treatment. The study, published in The Lancet, revealed that in 2022, approximately 828 million people aged 18 and older were living with either type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Among adults aged 30 and older, 445 million—about 59%—were not receiving any form of treatment for their condition.

The World Health Organization (WHO) previously estimated that around 422 million people globally suffer from diabetes, a chronic metabolic disorder that impacts blood sugar levels and can lead to damage in the heart, blood vessels, nerves, and other organs if left untreated. However, this new analysis suggests that the global diabetes rate has doubled since 1990, rising from about 7% to 14%. The increase is largely driven by growing numbers of cases in low- and middle-income countries, where treatment rates have not kept pace with the rising prevalence, unlike in some higher-income nations, resulting in an expanding treatment gap worldwide.

In certain regions of sub-Saharan Africa, for instance, only 5-10% of people estimated to have diabetes are receiving treatment, according to Jean Claude Mbanya, a professor at the University of Yaounde I in Cameroon. Mbanya emphasized the serious health risks, noting that without access to insulin or other diabetes drugs, "a huge number [of people are] at risk of serious health complications."

The study was conducted by the NCD Risk Factor Collaboration in partnership with WHO and marks the first global analysis that includes diabetes prevalence and treatment estimates across all countries. Data was gathered from over 1,000 studies, encompassing more than 140 million individuals.

Diabetes was identified based on high fasting plasma glucose levels, high glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), or ongoing medication for diabetes. The authors highlighted that the use of both glucose and HbA1c tests was essential to prevent underestimation of diabetes rates, especially in regions like South Asia, where relying on fasting plasma glucose alone would likely miss cases.

While the study did not differentiate between type 1 and type 2 diabetes, the authors noted that previous research has shown the majority of adult diabetes cases are type 2, often linked to factors such as obesity and poor diet.