All diabetes
Page highlights
How many people are living with diabetes in Australia?
- Based on self-reported and measured HbA1c results data, in 2022–24, an estimated 6.5% of Australian adults (1.3 million) had diabetes, comprising 5.6% with known and 0.9% with newly diagnosed diabetes.
- Diabetes was more common among older Australians with almost 14% of those aged 75 and over living with diabetes.
- Males were 1.8 times as likely to be living with diabetes compared with females.
How many people are newly diagnosed with diabetes in Australia?
- 49,900 people were newly diagnosed (incidence) with diabetes in 2021.
- The incidence of diabetes increased with increasing age, peaking in the 65–69 age group for both males and females.
- Since 2000, there has been a 43% decline in the age-standardised incidence rate for diabetes.
How many people are living with diabetes in Australia?
Based on data from the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) National Health Measures Survey (NHMS), which defines diabetes prevalence using a combination of glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) test results and self-reported diabetes diagnosis and medication use, an estimated 6.5% of people (1.3 million) aged 18 and over had diabetes in 2022–24. This comprised prevalence of 5.6% with known diabetes and 0.9% with newly diagnosed diabetes (ABS 2025a). The number of Australians living with diabetes is likely to be higher as an estimated 1.5 million people with diabetes were registered with the National Diabetes Services Scheme (NDSS) in 2025 (NDSS 2026). Moreover, a recent study showed that the number of people registered on the NDSS is an underestimate of Australians living with diabetes (Cox et al. 2025).
The prevalence of known or newly diagnosed diabetes in 2022–24 was similar when based on blood test results for HbA1c or fasting plasma glucose (FPG) (ABS 2025b). The proportion of people with newly diagnosed diabetes (based on FPG) has remained consistent between 2011–12 and 2022–24 at 0.9% and 1.0%, respectively.
Note: People with known diabetes are those who self-reported a diabetes diagnosis and self-reported taking medications to treat diabetes or those who self-reported a diabetes diagnosis and had an HbA1c result indicating diabetes. People with newly diagnosed diabetes are those who did not self-report a diabetes diagnosis and had an HbA1c result indicating diabetes. People who self-reported a diabetes diagnosis but did not self-report taking medications for diabetes and had a blood test result below the diabetes cut-offs (for example they were managing the condition with diet and lifestyle interventions) were classified as not having diabetes.
Variation by age and sex
Based on the NHMS data, of people aged 18 and over, in 2022–24:
- prevalence of diabetes increased with age and was highest among people aged 75 and over for both males (17%) and females (11%) (Figure 1)
- after adjusting for differences in the age structure of the populations, males were more likely than females to be living with diabetes (7.6% compared to 4.2%). A similar pattern for prevalence was seen separately for those with known diabetes and newly diagnosed diabetes.
Figure 1: Prevalence of diabetes among people aged 18 and over, by age and sex, 2022–24
This chart shows that prevalence of diabetes was higher among males than females across all age groups.
| Age group | Males | Females |
|---|---|---|
| 18–44 | 2.5* | 1.1* |
| 45–54 | 9.5* | 4.2* |
| 55–64 | 13.4 | 10.6 |
| 65–74 | 18.4 | 8.1 |
| 75+ | 17.1 | 10.5* |
Notes
- *Estimate has a relative standard error of 25% to 50% and should be used with caution.
- Diabetes prevalence is based on HbA1c test results and self-reported data.
Source:
AIHW analysis of detailed Microdata, ABS 2025a
Trends over time
According to linked National Diabetes Services Scheme (NDSS) and Australasian Paediatric Endocrine Group (APEG) data the:
- number of people living with diabetes in Australia increased almost 2.8-fold between 2000 and 2021, from 460,000 to 1.3 million
- age-standardised prevalence of diabetes increased by almost 80% between 2000 and 2021, however, rates have remained relatively stable since 2011 for both males and females (Figure 2).
Figure 2: Prevalence of diabetes, by sex, 2000–2021
This chart shows diabetes prevalence increased from 2.4% in 2000 to 4.3% in 2021 but has remained stable since 2011 for both sexes.
Similar patterns were found in the ABS’s National Health Survey (ABS NHS). The age-standardised prevalence of diabetes increased by 36% between 2001 and 2022. The prevalence of self-reported diabetes remained stable between 2017–18 and 2022 (Figure 3).
Figure 3: Prevalence of self-reported diabetes from the National Health Survey, by sex, 2001 to 2022
The chart shows prevalence increased from 3.3% in 2001 to 4.5% in 2022. Prevalence was higher among males than females.
Notes
- Per cent age-standardised to the 2001 Australian Standard Population.
- Respondents ever told by a doctor or nurse that they had diabetes. Includes diabetes type 1, type 2 and type unknown.
Source:
AIHW analysis of detailed Microdata, ABS 2003; ABS 2009; ABS 2013; ABS 2016; ABS 2019; ABS 2023
Limitations of estimating diabetes prevalence
Data presented from the linked National Diabetes Services Scheme (NDSS) and Australasian Paediatric Endocrine Group (APEG) data (Figure 2) and Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) National Health Survey (NHS) (Figure 3) are likely to underestimate the true prevalence of diabetes in the Australian population. This is because:
- Both data sources are based on people who have received a formal medical diagnosis of diabetes. However, Australian studies have shown that many people are living with undiagnosed type 2 diabetes. For example, in the 1999–2000 AusDiab Study, half of all diabetes were undiagnosed (Dunstan et al. 2001). Data from the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics' (ABS) National Health Measures Survey (NHMS) 2022–2024, which collected blood glucose data, suggest that among people aged 18 and over, there is approximately one person newly diagnosed with diabetes (based on measured blood glucose) for every six diagnosed people (ABS 2025b).
- Registration with the NDSS is voluntary and eligible people with type 2 diabetes are more likely to register if they access subsidised diabetes consumables to monitor their diabetes at home or require insulin. Some people may be diagnosed with diabetes and choose not to register with the scheme. A recent study showed that the number of people with diabetes who are registered on the NDSS is an underestimate of Australians living with diabetes (Cox et al. 2025).
- First Nations people are under-represented on the NDSS (see Using the NDSS for reporting on First Nations people).
Despite these limitations, these data sources provide the best picture into the number of people living with diabetes in Australia to monitor changes in populations at risk, and trends over time.
Variation by priority population groups
Remoteness area
Data from the NHMS show that, in 2022–24, after controlling for age, people who live in Outer regional and remote areas were 1.4 times and 1.5 times as likely to have diabetes compared with those who live in Major cities and Inner regional areas, respectively (Figure 4). Prevalence was higher among males than females across all remoteness area groups.
Socioeconomic area
In 2022–24, the age-standardised prevalence of diabetes among people living in the lowest socioeconomic areas was 3.5 times as high as the prevalence for those living in the highest socioeconomic areas, according to the NHMS data (Figure 4). Prevalence was higher among males than females across all socioeconomic area groups.
Figure 4: Prevalence of diabetes among people aged 18 and over, by priority population group and sex, 2022–24
The chart shows diabetes prevalence was highest in people living in the lowest socioeconomic areas and those in Outer regional and remote areas, for both sexes.
| Remoteness area | Male | Female | Persons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Major cities | 7.1% | 4.6% | 5.8% |
| Inner regional | 7.3% | 3.0% | 5.2% |
| Outer regional and remote | 12.8% | 4.3% | 8.0% |
| Socioeconomic area | Male | Female | Persons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Group 1 (most disadvantaged) | 12.4% | 8.0% | 10.3% |
| Group 2 | 9.4% | 3.9% | 6.5% |
| Group 3 | 9.4% | 4.2% | 6.6% |
| Group 4 | 4.8% | 2.8% | 3.7% |
| Group 5 (least disadvantaged) | 3.3% | 2.4% | 2.9% |
- Age-standardised to the 2001 Australian Standard Population.
- Diabetes prevalence is based on HbA1c test results and self-reported data.
- Socioeconomic areas are classified according to population-based quintiles using the Index of Relative Socio-Economic Disadvantage (IRSD) based on Statistical Area Level 1 (SA1) of current residence.
- Remoteness is classified according to the Australian Statistical Geography Standard 2021 Remoteness Areas structure based on usual residence. Excludes those living in Very remote areas. Aggregation of Outer regional with Remote areas may mask important differences in remote areas, given the population in Outer regional areas is much larger than in Remote areas.
Source:
AIHW analysis of detailed Microdata, ABS 2025a
For information for First Nations people see chapter for First Nations people.
How many people are newly diagnosed with diabetes in Australia?
Between 2000 and 2021, over 1.4 million people newly diagnosed with diabetes (incidence) were registered on the NDSS and APEG state-based registries, including type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes and other diabetes but excluding gestational diabetes. In 2021, 49,900 people were newly diagnosed with diabetes in Australia (137 per day), equating to 194 per 100,000 population.
Variation by age and sex
In 2021, the incidence of diabetes:
- increased with increasing age, peaking in the 65–69 age group for both males and females (532 and 392 per 100,000 population, respectively) (Figure 5)
- was 1.4 times as common among males as females overall, after controlling for age.
Figure 5: Incidence of diabetes, by age and sex, 2021
The chart shows incidence was generally higher in females than males in those aged below 25.
Trends over time
There has been a steady decline in the age-standardised incidence of diabetes in Australia (largely driven by type 2 diabetes) between 2000 and 2021, with an overall drop of 43% (Figure 6). The observed declining trend has also been reported in several other countries (Magliano et al. 2019; Magliano et al. 2021), despite evidence from the 2019 Global Burden of Disease study as reported in The Lancet (2020) showing an overall increase in diabetes incidence globally. The fall in incidence may be due to improved preventive measures such as screening, increased awareness and educational programs leading to behavioural changes and risk factor modification (Magliano et al. 2019; Shrapnel and Butcher 2020).
Note: Some caution should be used when interpreting these trends. The NDSS is estimated to capture 80–90% of all people with diagnosed diabetes in Australia (AIHW 2009). It is uncertain how many people with diagnosed diabetes are not registering with the NDSS and how many people are living with undiagnosed diabetes. First Nations people are also known to be under-represented on the NDSS.
Figure 6: Incidence of diabetes, by sex, 2000–2021
The chart shows incidence decreased between 2000 and 2021, for both sexes. Rates peaked in 2008 at 359 per 100,000 population and fell to 176 in 2021.
Variation by priority population groups
Remoteness area
In 2021, age-standardised diabetes incidence rates were around 1.1 times as high in Outer regional areas compared with Major cities and Inner regional areas and 1.2 times as high as Remote and very remote areas (Figure 7).
Socioeconomic area
In 2021, age-standardised diabetes incidence rates increased with increasing levels of socioeconomic disadvantage. People living in the lowest socioeconomic areas were 1.9 times as likely to be diagnosed with diabetes as those living in the highest socioeconomic areas (Figure 7).
Figure 7: Incidence of diabetes, by priority population group and sex, 2021
The chart shows lower incidence in the least disadvantaged areas, Remote and very remote areas and non-Indigenous people.
Notes
- Age-standardised to the 2001 Australian Standard Population.
- Includes persons with missing or unassigned information on age and/or sex.
- Excludes persons whose Indigenous status, remoteness area and/or socioeconomic area was missing or unassigned.
- Remoteness is classified according to the Australian Statistical Geography Standard 2016 Remoteness Areas structure based on postcode of current residence.
- Socioeconomic areas are classified according to population-based quintiles using the Index of Relative Socio-Economic Disadvantage (IRSD) based on Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2) current residence.
- Rates may be influenced by the lower capture of First Nations people and those living in Remote and very remote areas or across states and territories with large remote communities on the National Diabetes Services Scheme.
For information for First Nations people see chapter for First Nations people.
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