--- title: Diabetes Has Nearly Doubled Globally Since 1980 description: The percentage of people around the world suffering from diabetes has nearly doubled since 1980 canonical: https://time.com/4283675/diabetes-doubled-globally/ author: Victor Luckerson article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2016-04-06T16:53:37.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:55:57.447Z article:section: Health og:title: Diabetes Has Nearly Doubled Globally Since 1980 og:description: The percentage of people around the world suffering from diabetes has nearly doubled since 1980 og:url: https://time.com/4283675/diabetes-doubled-globally/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: TIME og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Diabetes Has Nearly Doubled Globally Since 1980 twitter:description: The percentage of people around the world suffering from diabetes has nearly doubled since 1980 twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production --- # Diabetes Has Nearly Doubled Globally Since 1980 ## Video: Google Contact Lens Will Measure Glucose Levels in Tears [Watch (HLS stream): Google Contact Lens Will Measure Glucose Levels in Tears](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/FJTOMHtN.m3u8) (1:07)  _Published 2014-01-17. The team that developed Google Glass is working on contact lenses to help diabetics monitor their glucose levels._ by [Victor Luckerson](https://time.com/author/victor-luckerson/) ## Victor Luckerson Apr 6, 2016 4:53 PM UTC by [Victor Luckerson](https://time.com/author/victor-luckerson/) ## Victor Luckerson Apr 6, 2016 4:53 PM UTC The percentage of people around the world suffering from diabetes has nearly doubled since 1980, growing from 4.7% of the adult population to 8.5%, according to a [new report](http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/204871/1/9789241565257%5Feng.pdf?ua=1) from the World Health Organization. Today one in 12 people in the Americas have the disease, which can lead to blindness, kidney failure, lower limb amputation and premature death. According to the WHO’s first Global Report on Diabetes, more than 60% of the population in the Americas is now overweight or obese, a leading cause of type 2 diabetes. In addition to shortening lifespans, the disease is a huge economic burden. Health spending on diabetes is more than $800 billion per year, the WHO says. To combat the disease, the health organization is calling on governments to draft legislation and fiscal policies that would compel people to make better lifestyle decisions, such as higher taxes on sugary drinks and clearer labeling of the fat contents of foods. Preventing diabetes “is not just an individual responsibility,” WHO executive Carissa F. 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