Diabetes Prevalence

Diabetes, also known as hyperglycemia, is a chronic disease in which levels of glucose in the blood are above normal. There are three types of diabetes: Type 1, Type 2, and gestational diabetes. It is estimated that only about 5 percent of all diagnosed cases of diabetes are type 1, where the pancreas is unable to produce insulin. Type 2 diabetes is where the pancreas cannot produce enough insulin, known as insulin resistance. Approximately 90 percent to 95 percent of diagnosed diabetes cases are diagnosed as type 2.

Gestational diabetes is a type of diabetes that occurs in pregnant women who did not have diabetes prior to pregnancy, and it is usually diagnosed between weeks 24 and 28. Gestational diabetes will resolve after delivery for most women. However, approximately half of all women who had gestational diabetes will develop type 2 diabetes later in their life.

Pre-diabetes, sometimes referred to as impaired fasting glucose (IFG), is a condition where blood glucose levels are above normal but not high enough to be diagnosed with diabetes. People with pre-diabetes are at an increased risk for developing type 2 diabetes.