12-Month prevalence of known diabetes mellitus in Germany

Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disease involving chronic dysfunction of blood sugar regulation; if left untreated, it can result in serious secondary illnesses. In 2014 and 2015, a total of 7.0% of women and 8.6% of men in Germany with an age of 18 and over reported having diabetes mellitus in the past 12 months (these figures do not include gestational diabetes). There are significant differences in the 12-month prevalence among adults: the prevalence of known diabetes increases significantly with age, and is particularly high among people with a low educational status and those living in Saxony-Anhalt or Brandenburg. The Robert Koch Institute is currently developing a diabetes surveillance system in order to establish a data-based fundament for guiding health policy decisions in Germany.