6.6% of Australian Adults Now Living with Diabetes

Recent data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics reveals a significant rise in diabetes prevalence among Australian adults, with 6.6% currently diagnosed, up from 5.1% a decade ago. This marks an increase of nearly one-third over the last twelve years, with a further 2.7% of adults identified as being at high risk for the disease. The survey indicates that men are more likely to be affected than women, and those in disadvantaged areas are disproportionately impacted. Meanwhile, data from the U.S. shows that spending on GLP-1 receptor agonists has surged among adults without diabetes, increasing from $1.6 billion in 2018 to $5.8 billion in 2022, though this group still represents a small fraction of overall users. Despite the high expenditure, the adoption of these medications among non-diabetic adults remains limited, indicating a disparity in access and utilization. The contrasting trends highlight ongoing public health challenges related to diabetes management and treatment in both countries.