The number of adults living with diabetes worldwide has surged past 800 million, marking a staggering increase of more than four times since 1990, according to recent data released by The Lancet on World Diabetes Day. This alarming statistic, analyzed by the NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (NCD-RisC) with the support of the World Health Organization (WHO), underscores the expanding scope of the global diabetes crisis and highlights the urgent need for international efforts to tackle rising disease rates and treatment disparities, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
The new figures reveal a concerning rise in diabetes prevalence, with the global adult rate jumping from 7% in 1990 to 14% in 2022. LMICs have witnessed the most significant increases, where diabetes rates have spiked while access to treatment remains critically low. In 2022, nearly 450 million adults aged 30 and older, or about 59% of all adults with diabetes, were untreated, reflecting a 3.5-fold rise in the number of untreated individuals since 1990. Alarmingly, 90% of these untreated individuals reside in LMICs.
“The surge in diabetes over the past three decades mirrors the rise in obesity and is exacerbated by unhealthy food marketing, a lack of physical activity, and economic hardship,” said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of WHO. “To curb the global diabetes epidemic, nations must urgently implement policies that promote healthy diets and physical activity, while ensuring health systems are equipped to deliver prevention, early detection, and treatment.”
Geographically, the prevalence of diabetes is notably high in the WHO South-East Asia and Eastern Mediterranean regions, where nearly 20% of adults aged 18 and older are affected. These regions, along with Africa, are also home to the lowest diabetes treatment coverage, with fewer than four in ten adults with diabetes receiving glucose-lowering medications.
In response to the escalating burden of diabetes, WHO is introducing a global diabetes monitoring framework designed to aid countries in tracking and evaluating their diabetes prevention, care, and treatment outcomes. This new tool will provide critical data to guide targeted interventions and policies, helping nations allocate resources more effectively and improve diabetes care on a global scale.
The WHO’s Global Diabetes Compact, launched in 2021, is central to this response. The initiative envisions reducing the risk of diabetes and ensuring universal access to affordable, quality care for those diagnosed. The Compact also addresses the prevention of type 2 diabetes linked to obesity, poor diet, and inactivity. In addition, a 2021 World Health Assembly resolution called for increased prioritization of diabetes prevention, diagnosis, and management.
In 2022, WHO set ambitious global diabetes coverage targets for 2030, including ensuring that 80% of individuals diagnosed with diabetes achieve optimal glycemic control. The latest data reinforces the pressing need to close the treatment gap and accelerate progress toward these targets.
The upcoming 2025 UN High-Level Meeting on Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs), scheduled for September, offers a critical opportunity to galvanize action. This meeting will bring global leaders together to establish a unified strategy for combating NCDs, including diabetes, through collective commitments to address underlying risk factors and improve access to care. By aligning efforts with the 2030 and 2050 health goals, the meeting represents a pivotal moment to strengthen global health systems and curb the rising tide of diabetes worldwide.
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