Diabetes is one of the leading causes of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and kidney failure in adults. Kidney damage can result from hyperglycaemia or other associated conditions such as hypertension, polyneuropathic bladder dysfunction and infections. The most effective strategy to reduce the prevalence of diabetes-related kidney complications is to delay or prevent type 2 diabetes and diagnose and treat CKD in its early stages.

There are over 476 million indigenous peoples, belonging to over 5,000 distinct groups, in over 90 countries around the world. The disruption and oppression suffered as a result of colonisation has contributed to disparate health outcomes that continue to impact these populations today. Subsequently, diabetes has become one of the most common health disparities disproportionately affecting indigenous populations around the globe.

Until recently, the number of people living with type 1 diabetes across the globe was only estimated for children and adolescents less than 20 years of age. This has been due to insufficient data available for adult populations. The development of the Type 1 Diabetes Index (T1D Index) has now permitted more current and accurate estimates to be calculated for all ages across all countries. The T1D Index is a joint initiative between JDRF, Life for a Child, IDF, and the International Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Diabetes (ISPAD). In this report, global and country estimates of the number of people with type 1 diabetes for all age groups are presented.

Having diabetes puts individuals at greater risk of foot problems, including diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN), which causes a lack of sensation in the foot due to elevated glucose levels; and peripheral arterial disease (PAD), symptoms of which can include foot ulcers and open sores that do not heal, leading to infections and even amputations. There is wide global variation in diabetes-related foot complications due to varying definitions, diagnostic methods, population characteristics, methods for handling data and provision of services.

Diabetes is a strong risk factor for adverse COVID-19 outcomes. To better understand the relationship between diabetes and COVID-19, 3,799 articles and 91 studies were assessed and analysed. Significant findings included that excess deaths and critical illnesses due to COVID-19 were greater for people with type 1 diabetes than for people with type 2 diabetes, and poor glycaemic control was a risk factor for adverse COVID-19 endpoints.

People with diabetes and HbA1C levels over or equal to 7% were 35 to 40% more likely to incur severe illness, including hospitalisation, if they contracted COVID-19.