Patients with diabetes could double by 2050

New cases of diabetes will increase from about 8 cases per 1,000 Americans in 2008 to about 15 cases per 1,000 in 2050, according to a study released in October in the journal Population Health Metrics.

Assuming low incidence and high diabetes mortality, total diabetes prevalence (diagnosed and undiagnosed cases) is projected to increase from 14% in 2010 to 21% of the nation's adult population by 2050. However, if recent increases in diabetes incidence continue and diabetes mortality is relatively low, prevalence is predicted to increase to 33% by 2050. A middle-ground scenario projects a prevalence of 25% to 28% by 2050.