Overview

• Among those diagnosed, 91% received pharmacological treatment, yet only 42% of treated patients achieved optimal glycaemic control, or roughly 21% of all people with diabetes.
• Diagnosis rates vary widely by region, reaching about 83% in high-income North America and falling to roughly 16% in central sub‑Saharan Africa.
• Young adults are the most likely to be missed, with only about 20–26% aware of their condition, increasing lifetime risk of complications due to delayed care.
• The study synthesized 2000–2023 data from 204 countries using Global Burden of Disease methods, was published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, and was funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
• Researchers cite the WHO’s 2030 goal of 80% diagnosed and call for expanded screening, medication access, and glucose monitoring to counter a projected rise toward 1.3 billion cases by 2050.