Menu UNDERSTANDING DIABETES Diabetes is a chronic disease and a growing health issue. WORLDWIDE Approximately 415 MILLION adults have diabetes 8 TH leading cause of death Approximately 415 million adults worldwide have diabetes, and it is the eighth leading cause of death worldwide. IN THE U.S. More than 29 MILLION Americans have diabetes 9.3% of the U.S. population 7 TH leading cause of death in the U.S. More than 29 million Americans – 9.3 percent of the U.S. population – have diabetes. A 2010 study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention projected that as many as one in three U.S. adults could have diabetes by 2050 if current trends continue. DIABETES BASICS Understanding the diabetes risk factors and adopting healthy habits can help people reduce their risk of developing type 2 diabetes and help people with diabetes effectively manage the disease. Diabetes is a lifelong (chronic) disease that occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin – a hormone that regulates blood sugar (glucose) – or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces. This leads to an increased concentration of glucose in the blood, which, over time, can lead to serious complications such as heart disease and stroke, vision loss, kidney failure and lower-limb amputations. Type 1 diabetes Type 1 diabetes is characterized by a lack of insulin production. Type 2 diabetes Type 2 diabetes is also caused by the body’s ineffective use of insulin and often results from excess body weight and physical inactivity. It is also the most common form of diabetes – 90 percent of people with diabetes around the world have type 2 diabetes. Prediabetes Prediabetes is a serious health condition that increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke. A person with prediabetes has a blood sugar level higher than normal, but not high enough for a diagnosis of diabetes. Although an estimated 1 of every 3 U.S. adults had prediabetes in 2010, the vast majority of people living with prediabetes do not know they have it. IT'S PERSONAL “Sometimes I'm still surprised when I think about my diagnosis. My name is Karen Bachert, and I have type 2 diabetes.” READ KAREN'S STORY PEOPLE WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES SHOULD SET INDIVIDUAL GOALS TO MANAGE THE ABCS OF DIABETES: Find out why it's important to know your ABCs by visiting www.AmericasDiabetesChallenge.com. KNOW THE TESTS: SELF-MONITORING BLOOD SUGAR AND A1C People with type 2 diabetes need both daily blood sugar self-tests and A1C tests to help them and their doctors understand their blood sugar control because these tests measure blood sugar in different ways. Daily self-tests show a person with type 2 diabetes his or her blood sugar level at the time of the test. The A1C test shows average blood sugar levels over a two to three month period. Both tests will help people with type 2 diabetes and their doctors set goals that are right for them. Learn more at BloodSugarBasics.com. THE PREVALENCE OF TYPE 2 DIABETES VIEW INFOGRAPHIC DIABETES RESOURCES American Diabetes Association CDC — Diabetes Public Health Resource National Diabetes Education Program Merck Engage America's Diabetes Challenge Blood Sugar Basics Copyright. © 2009-2017 Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc. All rights reserved. Forward-Looking Statement Privacy Terms of Use Site Map