Diabetes, 2010
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Diabetes occurs when the body does not produce enough insulin, or when the insulin produced is not used effectively. Diabetes may lead to a reduced quality of life as well as complications such as heart disease, stroke and kidney disease1.
In 2010, 6.4% of Canadians aged 12 or older reported that they had diabetes. This was about the same rate as in 2009, but a significant increase since 2008. Survey respondents were asked to report diabetes that had been diagnosed by a doctor. Included in the rates were type 1, which is usually diagnosed in children and adolescents; type 2, which usually develops in adulthood; and gestational diabetes, which occurs during pregnancy.
Throughout the period from 2001 to 2010, males were more likely than females to report that they had diabetes. In 2010 the rates were 7.4% for males, compared with 5.4% for females (Chart 1).
In addition, Canadians who were obese – based on respondent-reported height and weight and Health Canada guidelines on body mass index – were more likely than those who were not obese to report that they had been diagnosed with diabetes. In 2010, 15.3% of obese Canadians had diabetes, compared with 5.0% of those who were not obese.
Chart 1
Percentage diagnosed with diabetes, by sex, household population aged 12 or older, Canada, 2001 to 2010
Source: Canadian Community Health Survey, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010.
Diabetes rates increased with each successive age group. Under age 45 there were no differences between the sexes, but by age 45 males were more likely than females to be diabetic (Chart 2).
Chart 2
Percentage diagnosed with diabetes, by age group and sex, household population aged 12 or older, Canada, 2010
E Use with caution (coefficient of variation 16.6% to 33.3%).
Source: Canadian Community Health Survey, 2010.
The proportion of residents who reported diabetes was higher than the national average in four provinces: Newfoundland and Labrador (8.3%), Nova Scotia (8.3%), New Brunswick (8.1%) and Ontario (7.2%). Comparatively, diabetes rates were lower than the national average in four provinces and territories: Quebec (5.5%), Alberta (5.4 %), British Columbia (5.2%) and the Northwest Territories (4.0%2).
Because diabetes is strongly related to age, provinces and territories with disproportionately 'younger' populations are expected to have lower diabetes rates than the national average. The reverse is true for provinces and territories with 'older' populations. To remove the effect of different age distributions, the diabetes rates were recalculated as if the age groups in each province and territory were the same as at the national age distribution. When this was done, only Ontario diabetes rates were higher than the national average. The age-standardized rates in Quebec and British Columbia were lower than the national average.
End notes
- James, Robert, T. Kue Young, Cameron A. Mustard and Jamie Blanchard. 1998. "The health of Canadians with diabetes." Health Reports. Vol. 9, no. 3. Winter. Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 82-003. pages 47–52. /studies-etudes/82-003/archive/1997/3477-eng.pdf (accessed May 10, 2010).
- Use with caution (coefficient of variation 16.6% to 33.3%).
References
James, Robert, T. Kue Young, Cameron A. Mustard and Jamie Blanchard. 1998. "The health of Canadians with diabetes." Health Reports.Vol. 9, no. 3. Winter. Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 82-003. pages 47–52. /studies-etudes/82-003/archive/1997/3477-eng.pdf (accessed May 10, 2010).
Millar, Wayne, J., and T. Kue Young. 2003. "Tracking diabetes: Prevalence, incidence and risk factors." Health Reports. Vol. 14, no. 3. May. Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 82-003. pages 35–47. /studies-etudes/82-003/archive/2003/6599-eng.pdf (accessed May 10, 2010).
Ng, Edward, McGrail, Kimberlyn M., Johnson, Jeffrey A. 2010. "Hospitalization risk in a type 2 diabetes cohort." Health Reports. Vol. 21, no. 3. Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 82-003. pages 1-7. /pub/82-003-x/2010003/article/11326-eng.pdf (accessed April 7, 2011).
Ross, Nancy A, Gilmour, Heather, Dasgupta, Kaberi. 2010. "14-year diabetes incidence: The role of socio-economic status." Health Reports. Vol. 21, no. 3. Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 82-003. pages 19-28. /pub/82-003-x/2010003/article/11325-eng.pdf (accessed April 7, 2011).
Data
Additional data from the Canadian Community Health Survey are available from CANSIM table 105–0501 and summary tables Diabetes, by age group and sex and Diabetes, by sex, provinces and territories.
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