This content describes the prevalence of diabetes, prediabetes, and gestational diabetes in the United States.
Diabetes Facts and Statistics
Diabetes is a disease that occurs when your blood glucose, also called blood sugar, is too high. High blood glucose can cause other health problems over time, such as heart disease, nerve damage, eye problems, and kidney disease. The most common types of diabetes are type 1, type 2, and gestational.
Estimated prevalence of diabetes in the United States
Total: 38.4 million people of all ages had diabetes (11.6% of the population) in 2021. 38.1 million were adults ages 18 years or older.
Diagnosed: 29.7 million people of all ages had been diagnosed with diabetes (8.9% of the population).
29.4 million were adults ages 18 years or older.
352,000 were children and adolescents younger than age 20, including 304,000 with type 1 diabetes.
Age-adjusted data from 2019 to 2021 showed that, for both men and women ages 18 years or older, the prevalence of diagnosed diabetes was highest among American Indian and Alaska Native adults (13.6%), followed by non-Hispanic Black adults (12.1%), adults of Hispanic origin (11.7%), non-Hispanic Asian adults (9.1%), and non-Hispanic White adults (6.9%).
Undiagnosed: 8.7 million adults ages 18 years or older had diabetes but were undiagnosed (22.8% of adults with diabetes were undiagnosed).
Read about the estimates of diabetes in the United States and the prevalence of both diagnosed and undiagnosed diabetes in the National Diabetes Statistics Report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
According to the American Diabetes Association’s Economic Costs of Diabetes in the U.S., the total estimated cost of diagnosed diabetes in 2022 was $412.9 billion, including $306.6 billion in direct medical costs and $106.3 billion in reduced productivity.
Prediabetes Facts and Statistics
Prediabetes is a condition in which blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough for a diagnosis of diabetes. Prediabetes usually occurs when a person’s body cannot effectively use the insulin it makes or when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin to keep the body’s blood glucose levels in the normal range. People with prediabetes have a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Estimated prevalence of prediabetes in the United States
Among U.S. adults ages 18 years or older, 97.6 million—more than 1 in 3—had prediabetes in 2021.
32.8 million adults ages 18 to 44 years old
37.5 million adults ages 45 to 64 years old
27.2 million adults ages 65 or older
A higher percentage of men (41%) than women (32%) had prediabetes in 2017–2020, when data were adjusted by age.
The prevalence of prediabetes in adults was similar across racial and ethnic groups and education levels in 2017–2020, when data were adjusted by age.
Among adolescents ages 12 to 18 years old, about 1 of 5 (18% of adolescents) had prediabetes in 2005–2016.1
Gestational diabetes is a type of diabetes that pregnant people may develop if they don’t already have diabetes. High blood glucose levels during pregnancy can cause problems for pregnant people and their babies, and can also increase the chance of having a miscarriage.
Every year, 2% to 10% of pregnancies in the United States are affected by gestational diabetes.
About 50% of women who develop gestational diabetes go on to develop type 2 diabetes.2
Diabetes in America from NIDDK provides new and updated data on diabetes and its complications in the United States.
Diabetes in America, 3rd Edition from NIDDK in 2018 provides comprehensive data on diabetes and its complications in the United States.
National Diabetes Survey 2016from NIDDK presents findings from a 2016 survey that measured trends in diabetes awareness, knowledge, and behavior.
Diabetes and Obesity Maps from CDC show the age-adjusted prevalence of obesity and diagnosed diabetes among adults in the United States by county in 2004, 2009, 2014, and 2019.
Diabetes and African Americans from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Minority Health provides prevalence data on diabetes among African Americans, including death rates, risk factors, and links to more information.
Diabetes and American Indians/Alaska Natives from the HHS Office of Minority Health provides prevalence data on diabetes among American Indians and Alaska Natives, including death rates, risk factors, and links to more information.
Diabetes and Asian Americans from the HHS Office of Minority Health provides prevalence data on diabetes among Asian Americans, including death rates, risk factors, and links to more information.
Diabetes and Hispanic Americans from the HHS Office of Minority Health provides prevalence data on diabetes among Hispanic Americans, including death rates, risk factors, and links to more information.
This content is provided as a service of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
(NIDDK), part of the National Institutes of Health. NIDDK translates and disseminates research findings to increase knowledge and understanding about health and disease among patients, health professionals, and the public. Content produced by NIDDK is carefully reviewed by NIDDK scientists and other experts.