Diabetes Facts and Figures Among Latinos

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Diabetes Facts and Figures Among Latinos
NCLR

Diabetes Overview

* Total prevalence of diabetes in the United States, all ages, 2005: 20.8 million people, 7.0% of the population.

* Diagnosed: 14.6 million people

* Undiagnosed: 6.2 million people

* Type 2 diabetes is the most prevalent form of diabetes. It may account for 90-95% of all diabetes cases.

* Older age, obesity, family history of diabetes, prior history of gestational diabetes, impaired glucose tolerance, physical inactivity, and race/ethnicity are risk factors for type 2 diabetes.

* Diabetes was the sixth leading cause of death listed on U.S. death certificates in 2002. Diabetes is likely to be underreported as a cause of death.

* Overall, the risk for death among people with diabetes is about twice that of people without diabetes of similar age.

Diabetes and Latinos

* Two million Latinos age 20 and older have type 1 or type 2 diabetes.

* Latinos are 1.5 times more likely than non-Hispanic Whites to have Type 2 diabetes.

* However, Mexican Americans are 1.7 times more likely and residents of Puerto Rico are 1.8 times more likely than Whites to have type 2 diabetes.

* Nearly half of Latino children born in the year 2000 are likely to develop diabetes in their lifetime.

* 25-30% of Hispanics older than 50 have diabetes.

* Latinos are the fastest-growing minority group in the country. However, they also have the lowest rates of insurance coverage, and without access to proper health care, diabetes can progress and lead to a number of health problems.

* Diabetes can lead to stroke, heart disease, amputations, blindness, kidney disease, and dental disease.

* If left untreated, diabetes can lead to death.

Diabetes and Other Groups

* Non-Hispanic whites: 13.1 million, or 8.7% of all non-Hispanic whites aged 20 years or older have diabetes.

* Non-Hispanic blacks: 3.2 million, or 13.3% of all non-Hispanic blacks aged 20 years or older have diabetes. After adjusting for population age differences, non-Hispanic blacks are 1.8 times as likely to have diabetes as non-Hispanic whites.

* American Indians and Alaska Natives: 99,500, or 12.8% of American Indians and Alaska Natives aged 20 years or older who received care from IHS in 2003 had diagnosed diabetes.

* Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders: The total prevalence of diabetes (both diagnosed and undiagnosed diabetes) is not available for Asian Americans or Pacific Islanders.