According to the Centers for Disease Control, more than 29 million people living in the United States have diabetes, which is nearly 10% of the population. However, in spite of the fact that roughly 1 in 11 people have diabetes, more than 25% of people who have diabetes don’t even know they have it.

Indeed, according to statistics from the CDC, although 21 million people in the U.S. have been diagnosed with diabetes, more than 8 million others have diabetes but haven’t been diagnosed with the potentially fatal disease.

Diabetes is the 7^th leading cause of death, and the risk of death is 50% higher for diabetics than non-diabetics.

Diabetes is a leading cause of kidney disease and failure, accounting for more than 40% of new cases of kidney failure.

Men account for slightly more cases of diabetes than women, with just over 13% of men 20 years and older having diagnosed or undiagnosed diabetes. Slightly more than 11% of women 20 years or older have diagnosed or undiagnosed diabetes.

The likelihood of developing diabetes increases with age. According to the American Diabetes Association, more than 25% of seniors (defined as age 65 and older) have diabetes, regardless of whether it has been diagnosed or not.

Diabetes and Minorities

Minority groups have higher rates of diabetes than Non-Hispanic whites. A whopping 50% of African American women, Hispanic men, and Hispanic women will develop Type 2 diabetes at some point in their lives. The rate of diagnosed diabetes in American Indians and Alaskan Natives is nearly twice that of Non-Hispanic whites. More than 13% of African Americans have diagnosed diabetes. Less than 10% of Asian Americans and Non-Hispanic whites have diagnosed diabetes.

Diabetes and Neuropathy

All people with diabetes, whether diagnosed or undiagnosed are at greater risk for developing neuropathy. In fact, 50% of diabetics will be diagnosed with diabetic peripheral neuropathy (also called diabetic nerve pain, or diabetic neuropathy). In addition, while there are more than 100 causes of neuropathy, diabetes is to blame for more than half of all peripheral neuropathy diagnoses.

Diabetes is to blame for more than 70,000 lower-limb amputations performed on adults in the U.S, accounting for more than 60% of all non-traumatic lower limb amputations on adults.