The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) have just released the 10th edition of their IDF Global Atlas with updated figures on the incidence and cost of diabetes. The data paints a grim picture.

Key takeouts:

• Since the first edition in 2000, the estimated worldwide prevalence of diabetes has more than tripled, from an estimated 151 million (4.6% of the global population at the time) to 537 million (10.5%) today.
• Globally, more than one in 10 adults are now living with diabetes. Moreover, there is a growing list of countries where one in five or even more of the adult population has diabetes.
• Approximately 6.7 million adults between the age of 20–79 are estimated to have died as a result of diabetes or its complications in 2021 - around 12% of deaths from all causes in this age group.
• The overall direct cost of diabetes worldwide is A$1.344 trillion (or A$1,344 billion).

Key takeouts:

• 1,491,800 Australians in the age range 20-79 have diabetes which equates to a prevalence of 8.2%.
• Of these, almost 400,000 are thought to be undiagnosed.
• The annual number of diabetes-related deaths is 23,226.
• The annual cost of diabetes in Australia is A$12.362 billion.

What does this mean?

This report confirms the growing prevalence of diabetes as a significant global challenge to the health and wellbeing of individuals, families and societies.

It highlights the urgent need for governments and policy-makers to take action to tackle this epidemic.