🌎 How Common Is Type 2 Diabetes?
Type 2 diabetes is more common than you might think, and you’re not alone.
📊 Worldwide
Around 1 in 9 adults globally (around 537 million people) have diabetes – and over 90% of those cases are type 2.
🇬🇧 In the UK
- Over 5.8 million people are living with diabetes; around 4.6 million diagnosed, plus 1.3 million undiagnosed.
- Nearly 90% of diagnosed cases are type 2 – so roughly 4 million people in the UK are managing type 2 diabetes.
- Around 6.3 million are at high risk (prediabetes).
🇺🇸 In the U.S.
- About 38.4 million Americans (11.6% of the population) have diabetes – 29.7 million diagnosed, 8.7 million undiagnosed.
- A staggering 97.6 million U.S. adults (about 38%) have prediabetes, often unaware they’re at risk.
❓Why Are So Many People Getting Type 2 Diabetes?
You might be wondering – why diabetes affecting so many people? One reason is the way we eat and live today.
Processed foods, sugary drinks, deep-fried meals, and oversized portions are everywhere – not just in the UK or US, but even in developing countries. In many places, fast food and packaged snacks are cheaper and easier to access than fresh, whole foods.
Many modern diets are full of:
- Refined carbs (like white bread, pasta, pastries)
- Sugary treats (chocolates, biscuits, fizzy drinks)
- Deep-fried food (chips, takeaway meals)
- Hidden sugars in sauces, ready meals, and snacks
Combine this with busy lifestyles, stress, and not moving enough – and it’s easy to see why diabetes is rising across the world.
Even in countries where people once cooked mostly at home, processed food is becoming more common. Globalisation has made Western-style diets (burger, crisps, sweets) spread everywhere – and sadly, so has the rise in diabetes.
❗Why You Shouldn’t Ignore the Signs
The scary part? Many people have diabetes and don’t even know it. Others ignore the early signs because they seem “minor” – tiredness, dry mouth, blurry vision, needing to pee more often, feeling hungry all the time.
But those aren’t the only signs. Here are some other common early symptoms of Type 2 diabetes that are often missed:
- Increased thirst (drinking more water than usual)
- Unexplained weight loss (even when eating normally)
- Fruity or acetone-smelling breath
- Tingling or numbness in hands or feet
- Slow-healing wounds or cuts
- Frequent infections, like UTIs or yeast infections
- Itchy skin, especially around the neck or groin
- Mood swings or feeling unusually irritable
But ignoring them can lead to serious long-term complications. Diabetes doesn’t just affect your blood sugar – it can harm your heart, kidneys, nerves, eyesight, and even your teeth. Some people lose limbs. Others lose their independence.
The good news? Catching it early can change everything.
With the right food, movement, and support, many people are able to bring their blood sugar back into a healthy range – and even reverse the course of their condition.
📌 What You Can Do Now
If you are at risk – or already diagnosed – don’t panic. You are not alone.
You can take small steps that make a big difference:
- Eat less sugar and refined carbs
- Move your body daily – even a 10-minute walk helps
- Keep track of your blood sugar
- Learn how food affects your levels
- Use a printable blood sugar tracker like this one to spot trends and stay in control
If you’re not sure where to start, my blog has plenty of simple tips, sugar-friendly meal ideas, and even printable tools to help you take back control.
✨ Final Thought:
Type 2 diabetes might be common, but that doesn’t mean it’s something to ignore. The earlier you understand your risk and take small, steady steps, the more control you’ll have over your future health. You don’t have to do everything at once – just begin. Your journey is yours, and you’re not alone in it.
– Roni 💚
Lower Your Sugar - Simple Tips for a Healthier Life 
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