Snapshot of Diabetes in Canada, 2023

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Organization: Public Health Agency of Canada

Date published: 2023
Cat.: HP35-180/2023E-PDF
ISBN: 978-0-660-68701-8
Pub.: 230557

Diabetes is a chronic condition that occurs when the body does not produce enough insulin or when it cannot use it effectively, resulting in high blood glucose levels. There are different types of diabetes.Footnote 1

Diabetes complications

Early detection and optimal management are crucial to reduce the risk of complications, including heart disease, diabetic ketoacidosis, foot ulcers and lower limb amputations, as well as eye, kidney, and nerve damage.Footnote 1

People living with diabetes are also at increased risk for more severe outcomes from infectious respiratory diseases such as the flu and coronavirus disease (COVID-19).Footnote 4Footnote 5

Preventing diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is not preventable. Risk factors are not well understood, and may include genetic, young age, and environmental factors.Footnote 6

Some risk factors for prediabetes and type 2 diabetes cannot be modified such as genetics and older age. However, the adoption of a healthy lifestyle (i.e., regular physical activity, healthy eating, weight management, and being smoke-free) can help prevent or delay their onset or complications.Footnote 7

Populations facing systemic social and economic disadvantages are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes. Addressing the social, economic, and physical conditions that influence health equity can help to reduce these inequities in diabetes and improve health for all.Footnote 8Footnote 9

Diagnosed diabetesFootnote 10Footnote *Footnote

In 2020–2021, among people aged 1 year and older:

The prevalence of diabetes increased with age:
1-19 20-39 40-64 65+
0.3% 1.7% 10.9% 27.0%

Undiagnosed diabetesFootnote 11Footnote *Footnote

Between 2007 and 2019, among adults aged 20-79 years:

PrediabetesFootnote 11Footnote *Footnote §

Between 2007 and 2019, among adults aged 20-79 years:

Prediabetes can progress into type 2 diabetes over time.

Learn more:

Are you at risk?

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Other resources:

Notes:

Footnote *

Types of diabetes are combined and gestational diabetes is excluded from diagnosed diabetes, undiagnosed diabetes and prediabetes estimates.

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Footnote †

Diagnosed diabetes: Individual with 1 or more hospital separation records or 2 or more physician billing claims within 2 years with a diabetes diagnostic code.

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Footnote ‡

Undiagnosed diabetes: Individual who did not self-report being diagnosed with diabetes, did not take blood glucose lowering medications and had hemoglobin A1c level of ≥6.5%.

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Footnote §

Prediabetes: Individual who did not self-report being diagnosed with diabetes, did not take blood glucose lowering medications and had hemoglobin A1c level of ≥6.0% and <6.5%.

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Sources:

Footnote 1

Diabetes Canada. 2018 Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Prevention and Management of Diabetes in Canada. Can J Diabetes. 2018; 42(Suppl 1):S1-S325. Available from: http://guidelines.diabetes.ca/cpg

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Footnote 2

Public Health Agency of Canada. Diabetes in Canada: Facts and figures from a public health perspective [Internet]. Ottawa (ON): Public Health Agency of Canada; 2011 [cited 2023 Aug 30]. Available from: http://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/diseases-conditions/diabetes-canada-facts-figures-a-public-health-perspective.html

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Footnote 3

Public Health Agency of Canada. Perinatal Health Indicators Data Tool, 2020 Edition [Internet] Ottawa (ON): Public Health Agency of Canada; 2020 [cited 2023 Aug 30]. Available from: https://health-infobase.canada.ca/phi/data-tool/index?Dom=1

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Footnote 4

Public Health Agency of Canada. People who are at risk of more severe disease or outcomes from COVID-19 [Internet]. Ottawa (ON): Public Health Agency of Canada; 2022 [cited 2023 Aug 30]. Available from: http://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/diseases-conditions/people-high-risk-for-severe-illness-covid-19.html

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Footnote 5

Public Health Agency of Canada. Advisory Committee Statement: Canadian Immunization Guide Chapter on Influenza and National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) Statement on Seasonal Influenza Vaccine for 2022–2023 [Internet]. Ottawa (ON): Public Health Agency of Canada; 2022 [cited 2023 Sep 19]. Available from: http://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/vaccines-immunization/canadian-immunization-guide-statement-seasonal-influenza-vaccine-2022-2023.html#l1fna

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Footnote 6

JDRF. Causes of Type 1 Diabetes [Internet]. [cited 2023 Aug 30]. Available from: https://www.jdrf.org/t1d-resources/about/causes

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Footnote 7

Public Health Agency of Canada. The Canadian Diabetes Risk Questionnaire [Internet]. Ottawa (ON): Public Health Agency of Canada; 2017 [cited 2023 Aug 30]. Available from: http://www.healthycanadians.gc.ca/en/canrisk

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Footnote 8

Public Health Agency of Canada. Framework for Diabetes in Canada [Internet]. Ottawa (ON): Public Health Agency of Canada; 2022 [cited 2023 Aug 30]. Available from: http://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/diseases-conditions/framework-diabetes-canada.html

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Footnote 9

Public Health Agency of Canada. Key Health Inequalities in Canada: A National Portrait [Internet]. Ottawa (ON): Public Health Agency of Canada; 2019 [cited 2023 Aug 30]. Available from: http://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/science-research-data/inequalities-diabetes-infographic.html

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Footnote 10

Public Health Agency of Canada. Canadian Chronic Disease Surveillance System (CCDSS), Data Tool 2000–2020, 2022 Edition [Internet]. Ottawa (ON): Public Health Agency of Canada; 2023 [cited 2023 Aug 30]. Available from: https://health-infobase.canada.ca/ccdss/data-tool

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Footnote 11

Statistics Canada. Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS) [Internet]. Cycle 1 to 6 combined (2007-2019). Ottawa (ON): Statistics Canada; 2022 [cited 2023 Aug 30]. Available from: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/en/survey/household/5071

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