1. Key messages
- In 2021, 6.8% of the Belgian population had a known diabetes diagnosis. However, more than one in three people with diabetes are not aware of their diabetes, which sets the estimated true prevalence of diabetes at 10.0%.
- Diabetes prevalence is increasing over time as a result of the ageing population and an increase in the risk of developing diabetes.
- The prevalence of diabetes is higher in the Walloon Region and the Brussels Capital Region compared to the Flemish Region. The prevalence is also higher for individuals with a lower socioeconomic status. These socioeconomic differences in the prevalence of diabetes are especially found for the prevalence of unknown or insufficiently controlled diabetes.
2. Diabetes prevalence
Five percent of Belgians are not aware of their diabetes
In 2021, 6.8% of the Belgian population was diagnosed with diabetes according to the IMA-AIM Atlas. The prevalence of diabetes increases with age and is higher among men, especially in the older age groups.
According to the BELHES in 2018, the estimated total prevalence of diabetes reached 10%, which includes more than one in three people with diabetes (37%) that is unaware of their diabetes status. 7.7% of people used diabetes medication. Still, among those, 19% have diabetes which is not well controlled. In other words, 5% of the population is suffering from diabetes either without awareness or proper diabetes control.
The prevalence of diabetes is increasing over time
The prevalence of diagnosed diabetes is the highest in the Walloon Region and the lowest in the Flemish Region, despite the relatively higher age of the Flemish population. The relatively low diagnosed diabetes prevalence in the Brussels Capital Region is probably the result of the younger age of its population. When corrected for age, the diagnosed prevalence of diabetes in the Brussels Capital Region becomes higher than the Belgian average. The BELHES has also shown that in the Walloon Region, more people are unaware of their diabetes status compared to the Brussels Capital Region and the Flemish Region.
From 2007 to 2021, the prevalence of diagnosed diabetes has increased in all three regions, as a result of both the ageing of the populations and a true increase in the risk of developing diabetes that could, for example, be related to an increase in overweight/obesity. The age-adjusted prevalence of diabetes increased by 25% in the Walloon Region, with 24% in the Brussels Capital Region and the Flemish Region.
Crude prevalence of diagnosed diabetes in Belgium and its regions, 2007-2021 Age-standardized prevalence of diagnosed diabetes in Belgium and its regions, 2007-2021 The prevalence of diagnosed diabetes (IMA) is nearly twice as high among individuals with an increased compensation status than among individuals with a normal compensation status. The prevalence of diagnosed diabetes has been increasing in both groups over time. View the metadata for this indicator Diabetes is a condition that is characterized by recurrent high blood sugar levels. If left untreated, diabetes may cause long-term complications such as foot ulcers, damage to the eyes, chronic kidney disease, and cardiovascular disease. A diabetic diet and exercise are important parts of diabetes management, but in a large number of cases, drug therapy will also be required. In the absence of an exhaustive diabetes register, several sources of information can be used in Belgium: In the IMA-AIM database, information is found on the use of antidiabetic treatment or on diabetes referring nomenclature. This is considered a good proxy for the prevalence of diagnosed diabetes. Socio-economic characteristics are scarce in the IMA-AIM Atlas. The status of “insured people having the right to an increased compensation” is the only available proxy indicator, and it has only two values, yes or no. Persons with a low income or specific medical characteristics such as invalidity are entitled to an increased compensation status. For information concerning mortality, please consult the following pages: Causes of death and Causes of premature death. Please cite this page as: Sciensano. Non-Communicable Diseases: Diabetes, Health Status Report, 13 June 2023, Brussels, Belgium, https://www.healthybelgium.be/en/health-status/non-communicable-diseases/diabetes
Source: IMA-AIM Atlas [1]
Source: Own calculations based on IMA-AIM Atlas [1]Belgians with an increased compensation status have an increased risk of diabetes
The BELHES has shown that people with a lower education are significantly more likely to suffer from ignored or poorly controlled diabetes compared to people with a higher education (RR=3.6, adjusted for age and gender). This could indicate that there are socioeconomic inequalities in the screening and follow-up of diabetes.
Source: Own calculations based on IMA-AIM Atlas [1]3. Read more
Background
A distinction is made between three main types of diabetes:
Since diabetes is a disease with insidious onset, many cases remain undiagnosed. Information on undiagnosed diabetes prevalence is available in the BELHES. The BELHES used self-reported data on diabetes medication use from the Health Interview Survey and objective measurements on blood samples (blood glucose and glycated haemoglobin) to estimate the total diabetes prevalence.
In this report, we mainly described:
Definitions
References