Type 1 diabetes prevalence projected to rise 29% globally by 2049

Research presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) annual meeting indicates that the global prevalence of type 1 diabetes is projected to increase by 29% by 2049. Using the DIAMOND-T1D model, researchers from the Steno Diabetes Center in Denmark estimate that the number of people living with the condition will rise from 9.4 million in 2025 to 12.1 million by 2049.

Annual new cases are also expected to grow by 14%, increasing from 530,000 in 2025 to 605,000 in 2049. While high-income nations like the United States and the United Kingdom are expected to see significant absolute increases due to factors such as genetics, environmental triggers, and high detection rates, low-income countries may see the largest relative increases in prevalence as access to insulin and glucose monitoring improves.

Specific regional projections include an increase of over 500,000 cases in the United States and more than 100,000 in the United Kingdom. In Italy, the increase is expected to be approximately 16%.