Diabetes is a common condition in North America. In the United States, an estimated 40 million people—about 12% of the population—are living with diabetes (diagnosed and undiagnosed combined), and more than 29 million have been officially diagnosed. Another 11 million Americans likely have diabetes but haven’t been diagnosed yet.
About 9.4% of Canadians (roughly 3.7 million people) are living with diagnosed diabetes.
The likelihood of having the condition increases with age.
It’s also worth noting that many more people are living with prediabetes, a condition where blood sugar levels are elevated but not yet in the diabetic range. In the U.S. alone, an estimated 96 million adults—more than 1 in 3—have prediabetes, and most don’t know it. That makes awareness and regular screening especially important, particularly as we get older.
Across North America as a whole, diabetes affects a meaningful portion of adults—and that includes both type 1 and the far more common type 2 diabetes. As life expectancy rises and lifestyles evolve, the numbers have grown over the past decades, making diabetes one of the most widespread chronic conditions in the region.
So what about you? Are you diabetic?
Go ahead and cast your vote, and if you feel comfortable, feel free to leave a comment. As always, thank you for voting!
MORE POLLS YOU MIGHT LIKE:
- Would you rather park next to barking dogs or noisy children?
- When you’re RVing/camping, do you think you’re ‘roughing it’?
- Should campgrounds/RV parks have a ‘lights-out’ rule?
- For longtime RVers: Is RVing today as enjoyable to you as it was 15 years ago?
- For readers aged 70+: Do you feel you are mentally declining?
RVDT2847
My wife and I are both overweight, me more so than she, and in our 70s but aren’t diabetics. This is despite both having a significant family history on type 2 diabeties. Our family doctor checks our sugar levels as part of our blood work every three months and seems a little surprised that our level never varies. I also had a sister who was a Juvenile diabetic.
Not me, but I’ve been lucky for some reason. My dad was a diabetic, my grandma was, and a few others in the family.
I am not, but the wife is.
I am diabetic. Diagnosed at 68. It’s relatively well managed with meds. My exercise program could use some tweaking. I’m aware of what it is that I eat that can drive up my numbers so moderation is important. Life is full of choices and none of us will live forever. Deny yourself all the pleasures in life and it will just seem like forever.
Diagnosed type 1 at 25 yo, have had it for forty years now.
There have been ups and downs, but excercise helps a lot.
Hiking, biking and kayaking are my typical activities when camping.
Type 2 for ~ 30-years. I weighed 280-lbs when I retired in ’05. I was 195 on the bathroom scake this morning,
Sorry about your diabetes, Rich. But congratulations on your weight loss! What an accomplishment! Keep up the good work.👍 And have a great day. 😀 –Diane at RVtravel.com
It would be interesting to do a survey that breaks it down to questions like:
Are you a Type 1 diabetic?
Are you a Type 2 diabetic?
Are you pre-diabetic?
I am not diabetic.
My wife and I are both pre-diabetic. We have started using Stelo blood glucose sensors that attach to your arm and give constant readings of glucose levels. It is very interesting to see what foods spike your blood sugar. We even bought some “low carb” cookies that were definitely NOT low carb.
I have been considered pre-diabetic for 15 years now. I am taking no medications and my A1C has never reached 6.5.
I am on a medication for high cholesterol that raises my glucose level, but still haven’t reached the magic number.
My PCP is not concerned. I am 76 and he said it is not uncommon for the A1C to be higher because of my age.
I do watch what I eat but my physical activity is not what it used to be.
Type 1 insulin dependent for 55 years. I’ve seen a lot of advancement in diabetes care over those years. I decided 45 years ago to live my life as normal as I could and not let diabetes dominate.
Been for years. From 240 to 160. Pills, insulin and manage what goes in the month and some exercise keeps it on the boundaries. Couple that with coronary disease I do keep a closer watch. Ya it’s genenic, grandparents only the why down but not stopping me from the RV travels.
just an answer to a short insert of this edition, as to forwarding my existing Newsletters to other camping friends.I used to do this at all our camping spots, but as of last few months I have been told that there is not enough Canadian camping exposure that would satisfy our friends to spend their time reading about everything US about camping! After getting an earful from some close friends, I decided to read each release fully and have to say that I have appoligized to a few friends whom did speak with me as I understand that as editors you need new input to write about and Canada is dead to many Americans as we as Canadians have a hard time crossing into the states due to the restriction
Eric, I personally am not happy about the way the United States has treated Canada in recent times. But as far as RVtravel.com, we have not changed our policy about how we treat our Canadian readers (about 6% of our audience). We cover articles about Canada and of interest to Canadian RVers now just as we always have. — Chuck (publisher)
My wife and I are both diabetics. Advantages are that we both know to watch each other for symptoms of low sugars and we both eat the same foods at meal time. We both carry Glucotabs and occasionally share our supplies when one or the other of us runs short, It’s nice to have someone else who understands what is happening when one of us has a low sugar.
My FIL died of complications of diabetes. He was convinced he wouldn’t be diabetic until he went on “the needle”. I think he was type 2 converting to type 1 months prior to his death. He played games w/his health. He ate a big salad for lunch- no protein- ate a big dinner as soon as he got home, napped in his recliner prior to an evening of watching TV+ eating carbs. Before his annual dr visits he would fast for 3 days, his glucose would be only slightly elevated. dr said keep on the same diet. I’m type 2, it runs in my family. Don’t care for candy, cakes, pies, eat a lot of fruit. A1C stays good