Worldwide burden and trends of diabetes among people aged 70 years and older, 1990-2019: A systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

Background: Diabetes places a significant burden on personal and public health. However, a comprehensive assessment of the burden of diabetes in older adults is lacking. We aimed to estimate the global burden of diabetes and explore trends for the population aged >= 70 from 1990 to 2019.Methods: Using data from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2019, the prevalence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) of diabetes among people aged >= 70 were estimated by sex and age group in 2019. We also assessed the epidemiological trend of diabetes from 1990 to 2019.Results: In 2019, 110.1 million (95% uncertainty interval [UI]: 101.2-119.4) people aged >= 70 years were living with diabetes (types 1 and 2 combined) with a global prevalence of 23.7% (21.8%-25.8%). Worldwide, 181.9 deaths (163.0-194.7) per 100,000 population and 4512.3 DALYs (3861.3-5264.2) per 100,000 population occurred due to diabetes. In 2019, minor sex-related disparities in the burden of diabetes were identified among specific age and sex groups. From 1990 to 2019, the prevalence of diabetes increased by 39.7% (37.7%-41.7%), and the related mortality and DALY rates also increased (16.4% [9.43%-22.9%] and 22.3% [17.2%-27.0%], respectively).Conclusion and Relevance: The global burden of diabetes in adults aged >= 70 has increased markedly from 1990 to 2019. As the population continues to age, there is an urgent need to combat the increasing disease burden.