Deaths from diabetes mellitus in the U.S. 1950-2023
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In 2023, there were 22.4 deaths from diabetes mellitus per 100,000 people in the United States. The death rate caused by this condition has fluctuated over the past decades, reaching almost 26 deaths per 100,000 people in the early 2000s, and about 18 deaths in 1980.
Prevalence of diabetes
In 2022, around 8.4 percent of the adult population in the U.S. had diabetes. In total, around 38 million adults in the United States are currently living with diabetes. Of this total, the vast majority were aged 45 years and older. The states with the highest share of adults with diabetes are West Virginia, Mississippi, and Louisiana.
Cure for diabetes?
Researchers are helping diabetics put their Type 2 diabetes into remission, where the blood sugar levels are kept within a healthy range. For Type 1, scientists are looking for ways to prevent the immune system’s attack on beta cells, which causes diabetes. These cells, located in the pancreas, produce the insulin people need to live. As of yet, there is no cure for diabetes mellitus; however, scientists are researching ways to make diabetes harmless one day.
