Diabetes - Overview
An estimated 24 million people in the United States—8.0 percent of the population—have diabetes, a serious, lifelong condition. Of those, 25 percent do not yet know that they have the condition. In addition, an estimated 57 million U.S. adults have pre-diabetes—an elevated blood sugar level that is not high enough to be classified as diabetes, but which greatly raises their risk of developing type 2 diabetes and its complications. Diabetes is the sixth leading cause of death in the U.S. It's complications, including heart disease, stroke, amputations, blindness and kidney disease, can be serious and expensive. Prevention and treatment are important. Better blood sugar control reduces the risk for eye, kidney and nerve disease by 40 percent.
Diabetes - Overview Resources
 Diabetes Insurance Coverage - As of January 2008, forty-six states and the District of Columbia have some type of laws requiring health insurance coverage to include treatment for diabetes. All 46 and the District of Columbia cover diabetes supplies, but some specify which supplies are covered. Forty-five states and the District of Columbia require coverage for diabetes education, and 27 states cover medical nutrition therapy. Click here to learn more about diabetes insurance coverage in all 50 states.
Disparities in Health - African American, Hispanic, American Indian and Alaska Native adults are twice as likely as white adults to have diabetes. Other diabetes risk factors include being over age 45, overweight, inactive or having had gestational diabetes. Even those at highest risk benefit from prevention and treatment. Cutting calories to lose 5 percent to 7 percent of body weight and increasing physical activity—walking for 30 minutes five days per week—reduced diabetes onset by 58 percent in a major study. Click here to learn more about diabetes health disparities.
  Women's Health - Diabetes is the fifth leading cause of death among women ages 45-54 in the United States and a major cause of disability. An estimated 9.1 million women have diabetes, but one-third of them are unaware of their illness. The most common complication in diabetes is cardiovascular disease. The risks are more serious among women than men. Deaths from heart disease in women with diabetes have increased 23 percent over the past 30 years. Gestational diabetes affects 2 percent to 5 percent of pregnant women. Click here to learn more about women and diabetes.
Gestational diabetes happens in a woman who develops diabetes during pregnancy. Poor control of gestational diabetes increases the chance for birth defects and other problems. Click here for more information.
The American Diabetes Association provides this diabetes cost calculator with state-by-state estimates of diabetes economic cost.
NCSL Publications:
LegisBrief - Diabetes: Rising Rates, Disability and Death
More than 20 million Americans have diabetes, and it is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. Funding for most state diabetes programs has remained level in recent years, although 46 states and the District of Columbia require insurance plans to cover diabetes equipment and supplies.
LegisBrief - Health Epidemics on Tribal Lands
Tribal populations are seeing high occurrences of obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Diet and lack of physical activity contribute to the high obesity rates, but cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for Native Americans. Both tribes and states have taken steps to improve the health of tribal members.
Total Percentage of Adults with Diagnosed* Diabetes By State, 2005
Data Source: Information and map design came from the
CDC's Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System
Data computed by personnel of the CDC's Division of Diabetes Translation.
* Diagnosed refers to people who have been told by a doctor that they have diabetes.
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This page was last updated March 2008
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