New research shows that one in nine people around the world live with diabetes, but almost half don't even know they're sick.
A study of data from over 204 countries and regions between 2000 and 2023 found that 44% of people over 15 have been undiagnosed.
“This is a very surprising number,” said Lauryn Stafford, the lead author of the University of Washington's Institute of Health Indicators and Assessment Research.
Research findings show that around 56% of diabetics are aware that they have a global condition, but the proportion varies from country to country.
Diagnosis rates are around 85% in Canada, but there are many factors in the number of diagnosed countries.
“It depends on where people live, but some of the main factors include lack of access to normal health care, especially primary care, so people don't get regular glucose tests every year,” she said.
“There are various socioeconomic constraints, or some people live in rural and middle-income countries.
More young people are not diagnosed with diabetes
The study also found that young people were less likely to be diagnosed with only 20% of their condition.
“Traditionally, the prevalence or frequency of diabetes has increased with age, so about 1 in 10 adults over 20 in Canada suffer from diabetes, but about 5 people over 65.”
However, Gerstein warned that while the rate is high among older people, people under the age of 50 are seeing an increase in diagnosis rates.
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An article published by the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) in August 2024 found that the annual incidence of type 2 diabetes in Canada is between 50 and 150 people per 100,000 people aged 20-29, “is rising rapidly.”
Although locations like Canada have high diagnostic rates, many countries still recommend routine diabetes screening for those over the age of 35. Diabetes Canada says these 40 or more should be tested at least every three years because they are high risk, but risk factors such as family history should also be added with rapid screening.
Asked if screening for younger age groups should be changed, Gerstein said the best policy is for providers to use clinical judgment, such as looking for a “yellow flag.”
“These yellow flags include very strong family history and so on. If you happen to be overweight but not really overweight, then you have a so-called abdominal or apple-shaped weight distribution in your abdomen and face.
He added that certain ancestors and ethnic origins can also increase the incidence of diabetes. It states that this is more common at younger ages in ancestors in South Asia or North Africa and indigenous peoples in Canada.
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What are the warning signs?
Going without a diagnosis can be harmful to a person's health, but Dr. Tom Elliott, medical director of BC diabetes, said catching it is difficult quickly enough.
“I remained silent for the first five years of diabetes and have no symptoms,” he said. “In more than five quiet years, the body has been damaged, causing damage to the nerves, kidneys, eyes and blood vessels.”
Canada's diabetes says that if treated or treated without treatment, the disease can cause kidney disease, heart disease and stroke, mental health issues, and nerve damage that can lead to infection and amputation.
But while it's “silent”, there are still things people can look for as potential signs.
The organization says symptoms such as abnormal thirst, frequent urination, blurred vision increases or weight gain or loss are common signs, but policy senior director, Laura O'Drisco, says these health issues may also be linked to other conditions.
“So it's usually when all the symptoms come together, but the best metric we actually have is the blood test,” she said. “And sometimes, doctors may order more depending on the type of blood test that comes back.”
Even if there are recommendations for screening after age 40, O'Driscoll told Global News that people should advocate for their own screening, even when it is involved.
“When you're having a blood test, ask to include HBA1c. It's a glucose or sugar level in your blood for three months, indicating that it represents whether you're at that pre-diabetic threshold or at the type 2 diabetes threshold,” she said.
– Files from Amandalina Letterio on Global News
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