CDC: US diabetes prevalence rises 5% a year

A new study, conducted by researchers at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), indicates that the prevalence of diabetes in the USA has risen 5% a year since 1990. The findings were announced at the American Diabetes Association's 67th annual conference in Chicago.

The survey, which used National Health Interview data collected between 1963 and 2005, showed that over this period the prevalence per 1,000 people has risen from 13.6 to 25.8. Furthermore, the study demonstrated that, since 1990, the increase has been substantial, growing from 26.4 to 54.4 per 1,000 people (approximately 4.6% a year).

Interestingly, the study showed that between 1975 and 1990 the prevalence of diabetes did not increase. The authors speculated that this period of stability for the disease may be linked to the emergence in 1975 of the first standardized set of diagnostic criteria for diabetes, prior to which there was no consensus on diagnosis. Linda Geiss, chief of diabetes surveillance at the CDC, said that "the growth in diabetes accelerated in 1990, shows no sign of slowing down and appears to be linked to increasing obesity." She added that the survey highlights trends and the need for continued efforts to prevent the disorder.