Diabetes control in U.S. worsens despite stable prevalence

While the prevalence of diabetes among adults remained stable from 2013-2023, glycemic control worsened, especially among young adults, according to data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. This could have major ramifications on public health: A 1% rise in mean HbA1c levels and a 20% drop in glycemic control could elevate lifetime risk of cardiovascular events.

Study details: Researchers analyzed NHANES data from 2013 to 2023 to evaluate trends in diabetes prevalence and glycemic control among U.S. adults. The study included 24,263 adults (mean age 48.5 years; 51.4% female), with 4,623 diagnosed with diabetes.

Results: While diabetes prevalence remained stable (12.8% in 2013-2014 vs. 14.1% in 2021-2023), glycemic control significantly worsened. Mean HbA1c levels increased from 7.31% in 2017-2020 to 7.60% in 2021-2023, and glycemic control rates dropped from 54.3% to 43.5%. Young adults (20-44 years) experienced the most significant changes, with mean HbA1c rising from 7.43% to 8.51% and glycemic control rates falling from 57.4% to 37.1%.

Source:

Inoue K, et al. (2025, February 27). JAMA. Prevalence and Control of Diabetes Among US Adults, 2013 to 2023. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40014316/