Report: Type 1 diabetes rates among older adults have nearly tripled since 1990s

A new study finds that the prevalence of type 1 diabetes in people over 65 has increased by 180% over the past 30 years.

In the United States, prevalence among people aged 65 and older is increasing by 0.51% each year. The number of people aged 65 and older with the disease rose from 1.3 million in 1990 to 3.7 million in 2019, the authors note in a study published June 12. BMJThe data includes people from 204 countries and territories from 1990 to 2019.

The data also showed that deaths from type 1 diabetes have fallen by about 1 percent each year since 1990. Mortality among people aged 65 and older fell by 25 percent over the 30 years studied. [mortality] “The findings may be relevant to recent achievement of development goals aimed at increasing access to and coverage of health services, as well as progress in economic growth, poverty reduction, and social protection efforts,” the authors write.

The most rapid increases in incidence were in North Africa, the Middle East, and Western Europe, while the slowest increase in incidence was in North America. All 21 regions around the world saw an increase in the incidence of type 1 diabetes among people aged 65 years and older.

Thanks to improvements in medical care, the disease no longer shortens the life expectancy of many people, Li Yongze, a medical doctor at the First Hospital of China Medical University in Shenyang, said in a statement.

The widespread use of insulin and insulin pumps is likely responsible for the decline in mortality and increase in morbidity. “Although there is no cure for T1DM, the disease is manageable,” the authors write.

In addition to the decline in mortality, disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) also declined, but at a lower rate than mortality: DALYs declined by an average of about 0.33% per year during the study period.

High fasting glucose remained the greatest DALY risk factor for older adults surveyed throughout the study period, suggesting that glycemic control “remains suboptimal and a challenge” for these patients.