Epidemiological Patterns of Diabetes Mellitus in The United States of America: An Observational Multicenter Analysis From 1990 to 2024.

Abstract

Introduction: Diabetes mellitus represents a significant public health challenge, however, the current trends in its epidemiology remain incompletely characterized. This study aimed to analyze epidemiological changes and demographic patterns in diabetes incidence and prevalence across the United States from 1990 to 2024.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study utilizing the TriNetX Global Health Research Network, analyzing de-identified electronic health records from 52,922,301 patients across 92 U.S. healthcare organizations. Time-based changes in disease trends regarding diabetes incidence and prevalence were targeted, and stratified by age, sex, race, and diabetes type.

Results: Combined diabetes incidence increased from 3.98 per 1,000 in 1990-1994 to 60.98 per 1,000 in 2020-2024, while prevalence doubled from 6.26% to 12.00%. T2DM showed a twenty-fold increase in incidence (3.52 to 59.30 per 1,000), while T1DM peaked at 7.46 per 1,000 in 2010-2014 before declining to 4.59 per 1,000. Significant disparities were observed across demographic groups, with the highest rates among Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders (incidence: 94.75 per 1,000; prevalence: 20.65%) and consistent male predominance (incidence: 69.40 vs 54.07 per 1,000).

Conclusions: These findings reveal concerning trends in diabetes epidemiology, characterized by a prominent and significant elevation in disease burden and persistent demographic disparities. The results call for the urgent need for optimized preventive strategies, targeted interventions for high-risk populations, and systematic changes in healthcare delivery to address this growing public health challenge effectively.