According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the American Diabetes Association (ADA), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 422 million people worldwide and 37 million in the U.S. have diabetes. The WHO estimated that diabetes was the direct cause of 1.5 million deaths worldwide, with more than 80% of diabetes deaths occurring in low- and middle-income countries. In the U.S., diabetes is the 7th leading cause of death. The CDC estimates that the medical costs and lost work and wages for people diagnosed with diabetes total $327 billion yearly.
There is an emerging global epidemic of diabetes that has been traced to rapid increases in people being overweight, including obesity and physical inactivity. By 2030, diabetes is predicted to become the 7th leading cause of death globally. Total deaths from diabetes are projected to rise by more than 50% in the next ten years. Moreover, cardiovascular disease (CVD) is responsible for between 50% and 80% of deaths in people with diabetes. The disease has become one of the major causes of premature illness and death in most countries, mainly through the increased risk of CVD. Diabetes is a leading cause of blindness, amputation, and kidney failure.
