United States Diabetes Rates for Women by Age Group (1990-2022)

Diabetes has become an increasingly prevalent health issue among American women, with the most dramatic growth observed in older age groups over the past 32 years. An analysis of national data from 1990 to 2022 shows consistent increases in diabetes prevalence across all age brackets, from young adults to seniors.

Key Findings:

• Women aged 85 and older experienced an increase from 18.9% in 1990 to 24.9% in 2022.
• Ages 70–84 saw particularly high growth, with rates exceeding 28% in recent years.
• Young women aged 18–24 saw prevalence double (0.5% → 1.7% for 18–19 and 0.9% → 2.3% for 20–24).
• Women in their midlife (45–64) now have diabetes rates ranging from 13.1% to 23.9%, up significantly from 1990 levels.

Age-Specific Trends:

• Older Women (65+): By 2022, nearly 1 in 3 women aged 70–84 were diagnosed with diabetes.
• Middle Age (40–64): Sharp increases suggest midlife is now a critical window for prevention.
• Young Adults (<35): While still relatively low, the steady rise indicates earlier onset of chronic disease than in previous generations.

Public Health Implications:

These trends highlight the urgent need for gender-specific strategies in diabetes prevention and care. Lifestyle interventions, equitable access to healthcare, and targeted public health campaigns are essential to combat the increasing burden—especially for aging women and those in high-risk communities.

Proportion of Women in US with Diabetes:

Year	18-19	20-24	25-29	30-34	35-39	40-44	45-49	50-54	55-59	60-64	65-69	70-74	75-79	80-84	85plus
1990	0.5	0.9	1.6	2.6	3.8	5.3	7.4	10.1	13.2	15.8	17.5	18.3	18.6	18.7	18.9
1991	0.5	0.9	1.6	2.6	3.9	5.4	7.6	10.3	13.4	16	17.8	18.7	19	19	19.1
1992	0.6	0.9	1.7	2.7	3.9	5.5	7.7	10.5	13.6	16.2	18	18.9	19.2	19.2	19.3
1993	0.6	1	1.7	2.7	4	5.6	7.8	10.6	13.7	16.4	18.2	19.1	19.4	19.4	19.4
1994	0.6	1	1.7	2.7	4	5.7	7.9	10.7	13.8	16.5	18.3	19.3	19.6	19.5	19.4
1995	0.6	1	1.7	2.8	4	5.7	7.9	10.8	13.9	16.6	18.4	19.3	19.7	19.6	19.4
1996	0.6	1	1.8	2.8	4.1	5.7	7.9	10.8	13.9	16.6	18.4	19.4	19.7	19.6	19.3
1997	0.6	1	1.8	2.8	4.1	5.7	8	10.8	13.9	16.6	18.4	19.4	19.7	19.6	19.2
1998	0.6	1	1.8	2.8	4.1	5.7	8	10.8	13.9	16.6	18.4	19.4	19.8	19.6	19.1
1999	0.6	1	1.8	2.8	4.1	5.7	8	10.8	13.9	16.6	18.4	19.5	19.8	19.6	19.1
2000	0.6	1	1.8	2.8	4.1	5.8	8	10.9	13.9	16.6	18.5	19.5	19.9	19.7	19
2001	0.6	1	1.8	2.8	4.1	5.8	8.1	10.9	14	16.7	18.6	19.7	20	19.8	19.1
2002	0.7	1.1	1.8	2.8	4.2	5.9	8.2	11.1	14.1	16.9	18.8	19.9	20.2	20	19.2
2003	0.7	1.1	1.8	2.9	4.2	6	8.3	11.2	14.3	17.1	19	20.1	20.5	20.2	19.3
2004	0.7	1.1	1.9	3	4.3	6.1	8.5	11.4	14.5	17.3	19.3	20.4	20.8	20.5	19.5
2005	0.7	1.1	1.9	3	4.4	6.3	8.7	11.6	14.8	17.6	19.6	20.7	21.1	20.8	19.7
2006	0.8	1.2	2	3.1	4.6	6.4	8.9	11.8	15	17.9	19.9	21.1	21.5	21.1	19.9
2007	0.8	1.2	2.1	3.2	4.7	6.6	9.1	12.1	15.3	18.2	20.3	21.5	21.8	21.5	20.2
2008	0.9	1.3	2.1	3.3	4.8	6.7	9.3	12.3	15.6	18.5	20.6	21.8	22.2	21.8	20.4
2009	0.9	1.3	2.2	3.3	4.9	6.9	9.4	12.5	15.8	18.7	20.9	22.1	22.5	22.1	20.6
2010	0.9	1.4	2.2	3.4	5	7	9.6	12.7	16	18.9	21.1	22.4	22.8	22.3	20.7
2011	0.9	1.4	2.3	3.5	5	7.1	9.7	12.8	16.2	19.1	21.3	22.6	23	22.5	20.9
2012	1	1.4	2.3	3.5	5.1	7.2	9.8	13	16.3	19.3	21.5	22.9	23.2	22.7	21
2013	1	1.5	2.3	3.6	5.2	7.3	10	13.2	16.5	19.5	21.8	23.1	23.5	23	21.1
2014	1.1	1.5	2.4	3.7	5.3	7.5	10.2	13.4	16.8	19.8	22.1	23.5	23.9	23.3	21.4
2015	1.1	1.6	2.5	3.8	5.5	7.7	10.5	13.7	17.1	20.2	22.5	23.9	24.3	23.7	21.7
2016	1.2	1.6	2.6	3.9	5.6	7.9	10.7	14	17.5	20.6	23	24.4	24.8	24.2	22
2017	1.2	1.7	2.7	4	5.8	8.2	11.1	14.4	17.9	21.1	23.5	24.9	25.4	24.7	22.4
2018	1.3	1.8	2.8	4.2	6.1	8.5	11.4	14.8	18.4	21.6	24	25.5	26	25.3	22.9
2019	1.4	1.9	2.9	4.4	6.3	8.8	11.8	15.3	18.9	22.1	24.6	26.2	26.6	25.9	23.4
2020	1.5	2	3.1	4.6	6.6	9.1	12.2	15.8	19.4	22.7	25.3	26.8	27.3	26.5	23.9
2021	1.6	2.1	3.2	4.8	6.8	9.5	12.7	16.3	20	23.3	25.9	27.5	28	27.2	24.4
2022	1.7	2.3	3.4	5	7.1	9.8	13.1	16.8	20.5	23.9	26.5	28.2	28.6	27.8	24.9

Source:

Source Name:	The Lancet
Source Link:	https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(24)02317-1/fulltext
Release Date:	2024