CDC: Diabetes numbers climbing fast

WASHINGTON - The number of Americans who have type 2 diabetes has risen to nearly 26 million, federal officials announced yesterday.

In addition, about 79 million U.S. adults have "pre-diabetes," a condition in which blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Pre-diabetes raises a person's risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke.

In 2008, the CDC estimated that 23.6 million Americans had diabetes and an additional 57 million adults had pre-diabetes.

"These distressing numbers show how important it is to prevent type 2 diabetes and to help those who have diabetes manage the disease to prevent serious complications such as kidney failure and blindness," the CDC's Ann Albright said in a statement.

About 7 million Americans do not know they have the disease. The increase was caused by a number of factors, including:

With obesity increasing, more people are developing diabetes. Obesity is a leading cause.

Medical advances are enabling many people to live longer with diabetes.

A test known as hemoglobin A1c is now being used to diagnose diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes, the most common form of the disease, occurs when the body gradually loses the ability to control blood sugar levels.

Risk factors include older age, obesity and family history. African-Americans, Hispanics and American Indians are among those at increased risk.

Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States. People with diabetes are more likely to have heart attacks, strokes, high blood pressure, kidney failure and blindness, and to require amputations. Diabetes' costs are $174 billion a year, the CDC says.