Overview

• Researchers estimate that 44% of people aged 15 and older with diabetes were undiagnosed in 2023, with awareness especially low among those 15–39.
• Among those diagnosed, 91% received medication, yet only 42% achieved optimal blood sugar control, leaving just 21% of all people with diabetes well managed.
• Diagnosis rates vary sharply by region, from about 83% in high‑income North America to roughly 16% in central sub‑Saharan Africa, with similar gaps in treatment and control.
• High‑income Asia Pacific led treatment rates among those diagnosed, and southern Latin America had the highest share achieving optimal control under treatment.
• The IHME/GBD study, published September 8 in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology and covering 2000–2023 across 204 countries, calls for expanded screening, improved access to medicines and glucose‑monitoring tools, and stronger primary care, noting a projected 1.3 billion people with diabetes by 2050.