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The Economic Costs of Diabetes report details the fiscal impact of diabetes on American citizens individually and on the nation as a whole. Diabetes is now the most costly chronic illness in the country, with diagnosed diabetes expenses in the U.S. in 2022 is $412.9 billion, including $306.6 billion in direct medical costs and $106.3 billion in indirect costs attributable to diabetes. For cost categories analyzed, care for people diagnosed with diabetes accounts for 1 in 4 health care dollars in the U.S., 61% of which are attributable to diabetes. Major contributors to indirect costs are reduced employment due to disability ($28.3 billion), presenteeism ($35.8 billion), and lost productivity due to 338,526 premature deaths ($32.4 billion).

The estimated economic burden of diabetes in 2017 was $327 billion, due to both to the increased prevalence of the disease as well as the increased cost per person living with diabetes. These costs include $237 billion in direct medical costs for diagnosed diabetes and $90 billion in reduced productivity. The largest contributors to the cost of diabetes are higher use of prescription medications beyond diabetes medications ($84.5 billion); higher use of hospital inpatient services ($96.2 billion); medications (oral agents and insulin); supplies to directly treat diabetes ($51.3 billion); and more office visits to physicians and other health providers ($33.6 billion). These costs are passed on to all Americans in the form of higher medical costs, higher insurance premiums and taxes, reduced earnings, lost productivity, premature mortality, and intangible costs in the form of reduced quality of life.  Content source: Economic Costs of Diabetes in the U.S. in 2022

"From our new economics report, it is very clear that diabetes bears a significant impact on our nation, both in its toll on the lives of the millions affected by it, and the economic costs for all," said Dr. William T. Cefalu. "$327 billion in annual costs for diabetes are a substantial burden on our society! Together with advocates from around the country, we met with leaders on Capitol Hill today to urge Congress to make diabetes a national priority. The most important solution we have is continued and increased investment in critical diabetes research, care and prevention to improve diagnosis and treatment, and to help us turn the tide through diabetes prevention. These efforts can help us to improve health outcomes for people with diabetes – and hopefully decrease the cost of diabetes." Content source: CISION PR Newswire

Diabetes:

• Total: 37.3 million people have diabetes (11.3% of the US population)
• Diagnosed: 28.7 million people, including 28.5 million adults
• Undiagnosed: 8.5 million people (23.0% of adults are undiagnosed)

Prediabetes:

• Total: 96 million people aged 18 years or older have prediabetes (38.0% of the adult US population)
• 65 years or older: 26.4 million people aged 65 years or older (48.8%) have prediabetes

Content source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 

Diabetes is a serious disease that can affect your eyes, heart, nerves, feet, and kidneys. Understanding how diabetes affects your body is important. If your diabetes is not well controlled, the sugar level in your blood goes up. This is called “hyperglycemia” (high blood sugar). High blood sugar can cause damage to very small blood vessels in your body. Imagine what happens to sugar when it is left unwrapped overnight: it gets sticky. Now imagine how sugar “sticks” to your small blood vessels and makes it hard for blood to get to your organs. Damage to blood vessels occurs most often in the eyes, heart, nerves, feet, and kidneys. Let’s look at how this damage happens.

• Eyes. Having high levels of sugar in your blood for a long time can harm the tiny blood vessels in your eyes. This can result in vision problems or blindness;
• Heart. High blood sugar may also harm larger blood vessels in your body that supply oxygen to your heart and brain. Fat can build up in the blood vessels as well. This can lead to a heart attack or stroke;
• Nerves. Nerves carry important messages between your brain and other parts of your body. Having high levels of sugar in your blood for many years can damage the blood vessels that bring oxygen to some nerves. Damaged nerves may stop sending pain signals;
• Feet. Diabetes can harm your feet in two ways. First, it can damage your body’s nerves. Nerve damage stops you from feeling pain or other problems in your feet. Another way that diabetes can cause damage to your feet is from poor blood circulation. Poor blood flow makes it hard for a sore or infection to heal. If sores don’t heal and get infected, it can lead to amputation.
• Kidneys. Think of your kidneys like a coffee filter. They keep the things you need inside your body, but filter out wastes and extra fluid. Your kidneys are filled with tiny blood vessels. Over time, high blood sugar can cause these blood vessels to get narrow and clogged. As your kidneys get less blood, less waste and fluid is taken out of your body. Kidney disease that is caused by diabetes is called “diabetic kidney disease.” It is the number one cause of kidney failure in the United States. Content source: National Kidney Foundation

Diabetes mellitus is a relatively common condition affecting all breeds of dogs and cats. In dogs, an estimated 0.2-0.6% of their population have the disease. Based on an estimate of approximately 80,000,000 dogs in the U.S., these figures suggest that between 160,000 and 480,000 dogs have the disease. With respect to cats, approximately 0.6% are estimated to have diabetes in the U.S., suggesting that more than 400,000 of the 60,000,000 cats in the country are affected by the disease.  Content source: UF Veterinary Research College of Veterinary Medicine   

Diabetes mellitus (sugar diabetes) in dogs and cats results from a shortage of insulin. When your pet's body produces little or no insulin—or if it can't be absorbed properly—glucose (sugar) builds up in the blood instead of being used for fuel. Your pet will feel starved for energy, even if it has been eating normally.

Canine diabetes is more common in middle-age and older dogs, but it is also seen in young dogs as well. While believed to be underdiagnosed, diabetes mellitus affects an estimated one in 1 in 300 dogs. The primary cause of canine diabetes is largely unknown, but experts suspect that genetics may play a role in its development.

Feline diabetes is more common in middle-age and older cats, but it is also seen in young cats too. While believed to be underdiagnosed, diabetes mellitus affects an estimated one in 1 in 230 cats. Further, it is more common in neutered, male cats.  Content source: MERCK Animal Health