Diabetes snapshot

Diabetes is a growing health problem in the United States where over 38 million Americans are living with the disease and 1.2 million people are diagnosed each year. In looking at U.S. youth under 20 years of age, newly diagnosed cases of type 1 and type 2 diabetes have also significantly increased.

The hope is that by raising awareness about this trend, parents, health care professionals and other caregivers can provide extra support and education to those at any age who have diabetes or are at risk for the disease. By understanding the rising numbers and the importance of early intervention, we can help prevent further growth in diabetes cases and improve the health of future generations.

The big picture

Lifestyle choices in the U.S. including a lack of exercise and poor dietary choices, continue to drive high numbers of diabetes cases in adults and children. Here’s a snapshot of diabetes in America today:

• 11.6% (38.4 million people) of the U.S. population is diagnosed with diabetes
• 22.8% (8.7 million people) of people with diabetes haven’t been diagnosed
• 38% (97.6 million people) of adults age 18 or older have prediabetes
• The number of people living with diabetes is expected to more than double globally by 2050, if current trends continue

Framing the costs

While diabetes shapes millions of American lives, it also has a big impact on our nation’s economy.

Take a closer look at the costs of diabetes:

• $412.9 billion – The cost of diagnosed diabetes cases in the U.S. in 2022
• $19,736 – Average annual medical expenses incurred by people with diagnosed diabetes, with $12,022 of the expenses directly attributed to treating diabetes
• Medical costs are 2.6 times higher for people with diabetes than those without the condition
• 26% increase in the total cost of insulin and other medications to manage blood glucose between 2017 to 2022
• $5.4 billion – Annual indirect costs of diabetes, including missed workdays

Risk factors and complications

Because chronic illnesses like diabetes weaken the immune system, people with the disease are often more susceptible to complications and developing other conditions.

If not properly managed, diabetes can lead to a variety of serious health complications including:

• Chronic kidney disease
• Cardiovascular disease
• Neuropathy
• Stroke
• Diabetes-related eye disease

Some of the risk factors that have been linked to developing diabetes include:

• Obesity – 47% people with diabetes have obesity
• Smoking – 22% are tobacco users
• High blood pressure – 73% have blood pressure greater than 130/80
• High cholesterol – 39.5% had a non-HDL level of 130 mg/dL or higher
• Physical inactivity – 32% get less than 10 minutes a week of physical activity

Thankfully, with lifestyle changes and the right treatment plan, it’s possible to reduce issues or prevent complications from developing.

Mom's Meals^® helps make preventing and managing diabetes easier

Maintaining a healthy, balanced diet is important for people with diabetes, but some may find it difficult when it comes to counting carbohydrates and sugars, shopping and preparing meals or perhaps have transportation challenges.

Mom’s Meals is here to help people of all ages. We provide comprehensive food as medicine solutions, including delicious, diabetes-friendly medically tailored meals that are:

• Ready to heat and eat in minutes
• Developed in accordance with guidelines from the American Diabetes Association (ADA)
• Clearly labeled with carbs and sugars to help track intake and make informed food choices
• Created in USDA- and FDA-inspected facilities — providing the highest level of compliance with federal regulations governing food production
• Delivered direct to homes nationwide — no matter how remote

Our comprehensive food as medicine solutions are setting the standard in the food as medicine space with real-world results that show fewer hospitalizations, better A1C control, stronger medication adherence and meaningful reductions in the total cost of care.

Discover more about Mom’s Meals diabetes-friendly meals, the proven difference they can make and how some individuals may qualify for meals at no cost to them.