How many people have diabetes?
The International Diabetes Federation reported that as of fall 2011, 366 million people in the world now have diabetes, and the majority of those have type 2 diabetes.
Unlike type 1 diabetes which onsets rapidly, usually over days or only a few weeks. type 2 diabetes does not occur overnight; it often takes many years to advance from pre-diabetes to full blown type 2 diabetes. One of the reasons for the increase in the number of people with type 2 diabetes is doe the late diagnosis of the disease. Many are not diagnosed with this metabolic disorder until they have already developed some sort of complication. In other words, a large percentage of people who have type 2 diabetes did not know that did until some other complaint sent them to the doctor.
If more people who have pre-diabetes were diagnosed sooner, better steps for intervention might prevent the onsite of type 2 in more people. And, the earlier someone who has type 2 is diagnosed, the greater their chances of not developing complications when their diabetes is well controlled.
People who have pre-diabetes should take the condition seriously. Not everyone who has pre-diabetes will develop type 2, but for those that do, their condition will be permanent.
