A recent study has uncovered that 44% of individuals aged 15 years and older who suffer from diabetes remain undiagnosed. The study took a closer look at data from more than 204 countries and territories from 2000 to 2023. It issues a clarion call to the silent epidemic of diabetes around the world.
Dr. Hertzel Gerstein, one of the foremost authorities on diabetes research, made an important distinction. The first five years of diabetes is asymptomatic, making it challenging to detect early. The first five years of diabetes is silent, there are no symptoms,” he explained. Most people will not experience any symptoms in the beginning. Sadly, this can lead to life-threatening health risks before they fully know how to manage the disease.
Lead author Lauryn Stafford characterized this as a “very alarming” amount of undiagnosed cases. She explained that this is caused by a multitude of issues, from socioeconomic limitations to lack of access to care. Stafford elaborated, simplifying it down to three socioeconomic factors that limit access to healthcare for marginalized communities. In addition, in many rural and low- to middle-income countries, there may be a lack of healthcare providers and diagnostic tests.
Noting diabetes’s tendency to fly under the radar, Dr. Tom Elliott underscores the importance of early detection. In early development, there is often a lack of symptoms to warn people. In all those quiet five-plus years, the bodies were corroding badly. Tissues including nerves, kidneys, eyes and blood vessels all suffered damage. This highlights the urgent need for proactive screening measures.
Worldwide, only about 56% of people who have diabetes know that they have it. In Canada, this number is about 85%, showing a more systematic, structured approach to diabetes management. Increasing rates of undiagnosed diabetes • This is particularly alarming given the higher rates of undiagnosed diabetes in youth. Recent trends show an increasing diagnosis rates for individuals less than 50 years of age. This rise has been most striking among groups such as South Asian and North African descent, and among communities indigenous to Canada.
Diabetes Canada advises those at high risk, including people 40 and older, to get tested every three years. In Dr. Gerstein’s closing remarks, she encouraged healthcare providers to exercise clinical judgment in deciding whether to screen younger age groups. He focused on how some “yellow flags” should cause alarm. An intense family history of diabetes or a lot of abdominal fat may be signs that testing should happen earlier.
Dr. Laura O’Driscoll explained what signs should be your red flags that you could be developing diabetes. Possible signs of diabetes include unusual thirst, frequent urination, blurred vision, and weight changes. When diabetes isn’t treated or well managed, the consequences can be life-altering. These can be as serious as kidney disease, heart disease, stroke, mental health issues and nerve damage. Untreated cases can lead to as much as a 1.5% risk of infections and limb amputations.
Getting screened for diabetes is an important step in averting these severe complications. Dr. O’Driscoll reiterated that “the best metric we have is the blood test. Frequent glucose testing is important. Most people are unaware of their condition until they have developed significant symptoms.
