Diabetes Facts In Brief

Approximately 16 million people in the U.S. have diabetes, according to estimates, but only 8 million people are diagnosed. Diabetes can lead to a number of complications, such as heart and kidney disease and foot and eye problems. However, studies have shown that good control of sugar prevented the onset or delayed the progression of eye, kidney and nerve damage by at least
50%.

Type 2 diabetes is a growing problem throughout the country, but it is more common among African-Americans, Hispanics, AsianAmericans, Pacific-Island Americans and Native Americans than Caucasians. African-Americans are 1.7 times as likely to have type 2 diabetes as the general population. On average, Hispanic/Latino-Americans are almost twice as likely to have diabetes as non-Hispanic whites of similar age.