Diabetes is recognised as the world’s fastest growing chronic condition. The number of people with type 2 diabetes is growing in each country. In 2021, diabetes caused 6.7 million deaths globally.

World Diabetes Day is celebrated on November 14 each year. This day engages millions of people worldwide in diabetes advocacy and awareness activities in response to growing concerns about the escalating health threat that diabetes now poses globally.

Global diabetes statistics

In 2021, the 10th edition of the International Diabetes Federation’s (IDF) Diabetes Atlas estimated that:

• One in 10 adults has diabetes (537 million)
• One in two adults with diabetes is undiagnosed
• 11.5 per cent of global health expenditure is spent on diabetes (USD$966 billion)
• One in seven births is affected by gestational diabetes
• Three-quarters (75 per cent) of people with diabetes live in low- and middle-income countries
• 648,000 children have type 1 diabetes
• Every five seconds a person dies from diabetes (6.7 million deaths)

By 2030, IDF estimates that:

• One adult in nine will have diabetes (643 million)
• Diabetes-related health expenditure will exceed USD$1,028 billion

By 2045, IDF estimates that:

• One adult in eight will have diabetes (783 million)
• Diabetes-related health expenditure will exceed USD$1,054 billion

29 per cent of all adults with diabetes live in the Western Pacific region (which includes Australia):

• China with over 140 million people with diabetes (ranked highest number of people with diabetes)
• Indonesia with 19.5 million people with diabetes (5th highest)
• Japan with 11 million people with diabetes (9th highest)

*Sourced by the International Diabetes Federation Diabetes Atlas Key Findings 2021

Diabetes in the Regions

• More than one in two people (54 per cent) with diabetes in Africa are estimated to be undiagnosed – the highest of all regions. The region has the lowest expenditure – less than one per cent of all diabetes expenditure is in Africa
• The North America and Caribbean Region has the highest average cost per adult with diabetes – USD 8,208
• Europe has the highest number of children living with type 1 diabetes – 295,000. In overall prevalence, Turkey has the highest rate (15.9 per cent) and Greenland the lowest (4.5 per cent)
• India accounts for 1 in 7 of all adults living with diabetes.  In the South East Asia region, the number of people living with diabetes is predicted to increase by 69 per cent to 152 million by 2045
• 38 per cent of all adults with diabetes live in the Western Pacific
• In the Middle East and North Africa, one in six adults have diabetes – the highest of all regions.  Pakistan has the highest rate (26.7 per cent) and Yemen the lowest (4 per cent)
• By 2045, the number of people with diabetes will increase by 48 per cent in South and Central America to 49 million people. The highest prevalence is currently in Puerto Rico (20.1 per cent) and the lowest in Honduras (4.6 per cent)

In Our Region (Western Pacific)

• One in eight adults has diabetes – 206 million
• The Western Pacific Region accounts for over a third (38 per cent) of the total number of adults living with diabetes. China accounts for 1 in 4 of all adults living with diabetes in the world
• 53 per cent of adults living with diabetes are undiagnosed
• The Western Pacific Region has the highest number of deaths from diabetes – 2.3 million deaths in 2021
• Diabetes-related expenditure in 2021 totals USD241 billion – 25 per cent of global expenditure
• 1 in 7 live births are affected by hyperglycemia in pregnancy (Gestational diabetes)
• Indonesia has the highest rate of undiagnosed diabetes in the region; French Polynesia has the highest prevalence of diabetes in adults, at 26.8 per cent; Laos has the lowest at 5 per cent

*Sourced from the International Diabetes Federation Diabetes Atlas Key Findings 2021

Diabetes and COVID-19

The Atlas included the impact of COVID-19 on populations with diabetes. 

Overall, individuals with diabetes had a 3.6 times higher likelihood of being hospitalised due to COVID-19, compared to those without diabetes, with a 2.3 times increased risk of mortality.  However, COVID-19 rates of infections and deaths are higher in countries that have a high prevalence of diabetes, for reasons that are unclear.

History of World Diabetes Day

World Diabetes Day was created in 1991 by IDF and the World Health Organization in response to growing concerns about the escalating health threat posed by diabetes. World Diabetes Day became an official United Nations Day in 2006 with the passage of United Nation Resolution 61/225.

WDD is the world’s largest diabetes awareness campaign reaching a global audience of over 1 billion people in more than 160 countries. The campaign draws attention to issues of paramount importance to the diabetes world and keeps diabetes firmly in the public and political spotlight.

International Diabetes Foundation – Diabetes Voice Quarterly Magazine

Diabetes Voice is the quarterly magazine of the International Diabetes Federation (IDF). It covers the latest developments in diabetes care, education, prevention, research, health policy and economics, as well as themes related to living with diabetes. Diabetes Voice goes to the heart of issues that are crucial to all those who can further the promotion of diabetes care, prevention, and a cure worldwide.

Read and/or download current and past issues on the IDF website