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Foot Facts

A Global Epidemic

  • Diabetes affects 26 million people in the US and more than 366 million people worldwide – Diabetesatlas.org/American Diabetes Association
  • Every 20 seconds, somewhere in the world, a limb is lost as a consequence of diabetes – DFCon.com, Bakker (after Boulton), The Lancet (cover) 2005
  • Diabetes kills more people annually then breast cancer and AIDS combined – American Diabetes Association 2009
  • 80% of people with diabetes are from low and middle income nations – International Diabetes Federation 2012
  • The number of people with diabetes is increasing in every single nation – International Diabetes Federation/World Health Organisation 2012
  • Half of people with diabetes don’t know they have it – American Diabetes Association/International Diabetes Federation 2012
  • Each year 3.8 million deaths are attributable to diabetes. An even greater number die from cardiovascular disease made worse by diabetes related lipid disorders and hypertension.
  • Every 10 seconds a person dies from diabetes-related causes.
  • Every 10 seconds two people develop diabetes.
  • Diabetes is the fourth leading cause of global death by disease.
  • At least 50% of all people with diabetes are unaware of their condition. In some countries this figure may reach 80%.
  • Up to 80% of type 2 diabetes is preventable by adopting a healthy diet and increasing physical activity.
  • People with a history of a diabetic foot ulcer have a 40% greater 10 year mortality than people with diabetes alone – Iversen, et al, Diabetes Care 2009

A Global Clinical Challenge

  • Seconds Count: Every 7 seconds someone dies from diabetes. Every 17 seconds someone is diagnosed. Every 20 seconds someone is amputated – International Diabetes Federation/Diabetesatlas.org 2013
  • By 2030 at least 550 million people will have diabetes – approximately 10% of the world’s adult population – International Diabetes Federation 2011
  • There are now approximately 79M people with pre-diabetes in the USA. That is the equivalent of the total population of 30 states – American Diabetes Association 2012, United States Census 2010
  • The population of diabetes in the USA is greater than the population of the nation’s 10 largest cities – American Diabetes Association 2012, United States Census 2010
  • People with diabetes with one lower limb amputation have a 50% risk of developing a serious lesion in the second limb within 2 years.
  • People with diabetes have a 50% mortality rate in the 5 years following the initial amputation.
  • 60-70% of those with diabetes will develop peripheral neuropathy, or lose sensation in their feet – Dyck et al, Diabetic Neuropathy 1999
  • More than 90% of people with diabetic peripheral neuropathy are unaware they have it – Bongaerts, et al, Diabetes Care 2013
  • More than half of people with osteomyelitis of the heel will undergo high level amputation – Faglia, et al, Foot Ankle Int 2013