During the past 10 years the number of people in Belgium with diabetes has increased by a quarter. The figures come from the health mutuals and form the basis for an article in Friday’s edition of the daily ‘De Tijd’. In 2012 5.6% of the population was receiving treatment for diabetes. By 2021 this had risen to 7.1%. While better detection of the diabetes accounts for some of the increase, the aging population and a rise in the number of people that are obese are other contributing factors.
According to figures from the Inter-Mutual Agency (IMA) that groups the country’s heath mutuals, 810,000 in Belgium were being treated for diabetes in 2021. This is 7.1% of the population. This was 5.6% in 2012.
Between 2021 and 2022 the number of people in Belgium with diabetes increased by 5%. This is the largest year-on-year increase on record.
IMA bases its figures on data from the various health mutuals. These include only patients that are taking medication and/or receiving treatment for types 1 and 2 diabetes. The figures do not include women that become diabetic during pregnancy.
Age a factor
The percentage of people with diabetes is higher among older age demographics. 20% of people older than 65 are receiving treatment for diabetes. This is 8.9% among people between the ages of 45 and 65. 2.2% of 25- to 44-year-olds are being treated for diabetes. The figures also reveal that there are slightly more men than women that have diabetes.
It is likely that the true number of people that have diabetes is higher still as not everyone that is diabetic takes medication are receiving treatment. The 2018 Belgian Health Study found that around 1 in 3 people that have diabetes don’t know that they are diabetic.